Journal
ALLERGY
Volume 57, Issue 10, Pages 940-942Publisher
BLACKWELL MUNKSGAARD
DOI: 10.1034/j.1398-9995.2002.23536.x
Keywords
aeroallergens; diagnosis; lancet; sensitization; skin tests
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Background: Improperly performed skin prick tests (SPT) can lead to wrong allergy diagnosis and incorrect treatment. To overcome false-positive results it is recommended to change the puncture device between each test, although very few studies have examined the real drawbacks (false-positives) and advantages (time and cost savings) of using only one device. Methods: Two groups of 20 patients with rhinitis or asthma, sensitized to either house-dust mites or grass pollens, had successive serial SPT to 9% codeine phosphate and the relevant allergen using the same needle or lancet, wiped between each test. Results: With both the needle and the lancet, there were 12.5-67.5% false-positive results using the house-dust mite or grass pollen allergen extracts, respectively. There were no false-positive results with the 9% codeine phosphate. Conclusions: Our study shows that this technique is not reliable as it provoked an unacceptable number of false-positive results.
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