Do skin prick tests (SPT) and IgE determinations give different results?
Skin tests and blood tests are both used to diagnose IgE-mediated reactions to allergens. A positive test depends not only on IgE antibodies, but also on mast cell integrity and vascular and neural responsiveness. Under ideal conditions, skin prick/puncture testing provides results concordant with optimized in vitro IgE antibody tests. However, skin tests are not quantitative, and the result cannot be compared between clinics. In contrast to in vitro tests, skin tests depend on the status of the skin, and are influenced by medication and by the way the test is performed. There is a small but definite risk of systemic reactions induced by skin tests (4). Another difference is the standardization. SPT results depend on the quality of the extract, the skill of the person performing the test, the location of the skin test site, and on medical treatment. To achieve good standardization, all these parameters must be well controlled, which is not easy. In contrast, ImmunoCAP IgE determination
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