ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SKIN PRICK TEST AND SERUM SPECIFIC IMMUNOGLOBULIN E OF HOUSE DUST MITE ALLERGENS IN ALLERGIC RHINITIS PATIENTS

Skin prick test (SPT) and serum specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) are well-established methods for detecting IgE-mediated allergen sensitization. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between the results of SPT and sIgE of house dust mite (HDM) allergens in Thai patients with clinical allergic rhinitis (AR). The secondary aim was to evaluate association between severity of AR and both the size of SPT mean wheal diameter (MWD) and sIgE. This cross sectional study was conducted in patients aged 6-25 years diagnosed with clinical AR during September 2012 to October 2013. SPT and slg E (ImmunoCap) of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) were performed. Fifty-eight AR patients with a mean age of 13.5 (range: 6-25) years were included. One-third of cases (37.9%) had comorbid asthma. Forty-four patients (75%) had positive SPT and sIgE to Dp, and 43 patients.(74%) had positive SPT and sIgE to Df. All cases with positive SPT and sIgE to Dp had positive SPT and sIgE to Df. Significant correlation was observed between mean wheal diameter (MWD) of SPT and sIgE levels for both Dp and Df (r=0.95, p<0.001 and r=0.97, p<0.001, respectively). Significant correlation was also found between disease severity and MWD and between disease severity and sIgE levels for both Dp (p<0.001) and Df (p<0.001).Significant correlations were observed between MWD of SPT and sIgE levels, between disease severity and MWD, and between disease severity and sIgE levels for both Dp and Df.