Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Jan;278(1):117-125.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-06264-5. Epub 2020 Aug 7.

Does the principle of homologous groups allow a reduction of allergens in the skin prick test panel?

Katharina Eder  1 , Sabine Markmann  2 , Donata Gellrich  2 , Sophie-Louise Mann  2 , Catalina Högerle  2 , Moritz Gröger  2
Affiliations

Does the principle of homologous groups allow a reduction of allergens in the skin prick test panel?

Katharina Eder et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: Regulatory and economic conditions drive the application of the concept of homologous groups on therapeutic and diagnostic formulations. In this context, a possible reduction of allergens in the skin prick test panel in the clinical routine should be investigated for the grass, birch and Dermatophagoides homologous group.

Methods: Grass and cultivated rye skin prick test results of 1101 patients, birch/hazel/alder skin prick test results of 1131 patients and 1068 Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and farinae skin prick tests were retrospectively evaluated with regard to sensitivity and false-negative rate detecting sensitization against cultivated rye with grass skin prick test, sensitization against hazel and/or alder with birch skin prick test and sensitization towards Dermatophagoides farinae with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus skin prick test.

Results: Skin prick test results in all groups highly correlated in Spearman Rank Order correlation. Sensitivity of grass skin prick test detecting sensitization against cultivated rye was highest with 98.9%, sensitivity of birch skin prick test detecting sensitization toward hazel and alder was 95.6 and 90.0%, respectively. Sensitivity of skin prick test with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus detecting sensitization towards Dermatophagoides farinae was 93.6%. Only 26 patients with positive rye, hazel, alder or Dermatophagoides farinae skin prick test that were overlooked by grass, birch or Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus skin prick test reported allergic symptoms.

Conclusion: In routine clinical practice, sensitization against cultivated rye can safely be detected by skin prick test with grass allergen. In addition, the sensitivity of birch skin prick test is high in terms of sensitization towards hazel, but lower for alder. Sensitivity of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus skin prick test also is high to detect sensitization towards Dermatophagoides farinae. Further research will indicate if several skin prick test allergens will disappear and be completely replaced by a single skin prick test based on the principle of homologous groups.

Keywords: Allergens; Birch; Dermatophagoides; Grass; Homologous groups; Skin prick test.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Asher MI, Montefort S, Bjorksten B, Lai CK, Strachan DP, Weiland SK, Williams H, Group IPTS (2006) Worldwide time trends in the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema in childhood: ISAAC phases one and three repeat multicountry cross-sectional surveys. Lancet 368(9537):733–743. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69283-0 - DOI
    1. Bjorksten B, Clayton T, Ellwood P, Stewart A, Strachan D, Group IPIS (2008) Worldwide time trends for symptoms of rhinitis and conjunctivitis: Phase III of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 19(2):110–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3038.2007.00601.x - DOI
    1. Haftenberger M, Laussmann D, Ellert U, Kalcklosch M, Langen U, Schlaud M, Schmitz R, Thamm M (2013) Prevalence of sensitisation to aeraoallergens and food allergens: results of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS1). Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 56(5–6):687–697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-012-1658-1 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cardona V, Demoly P, Dreborg S, Kalpaklioglu AF, Klimek L, Muraro A, Pfaar O, Popov TA, Hoffmann HJ (2018) Current practice of allergy diagnosis and the potential impact of regulation in Europe. Allergy 73(2):323–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.13306 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Pfaar O, Bachert C, Bufe A, Buhl R, Ebner C, Eng P, Friedrichs F, Fuchs T, Hamelmann E, Hartwig-Bade D, Hering T, Huttegger I, Jung K, Klimek L, Kopp MV, Merk H, Rabe U, Saloga J, Schmid-Grendelmeier P, Schuster A, Schwerk N, Sitter H, Umpfenbach U, Wedi B, Wohrl S, Worm M, Kleine-Tebbe J, Kaul S, Schwalfenberg A (2014) Guideline on allergen-specific immunotherapy in IgE-mediated allergic diseases: S2k Guideline of the German Society for Allergology and Clinical Immunology (DGAKI), the Society for Pediatric Allergy and Environmental Medicine (GPA), the Medical Association of German Allergologists (AeDA), the Austrian Society for Allergy and Immunology (OGAI), the Swiss Society for Allergy and Immunology (SGAI), the German Society of Dermatology (DDG), the German Society of Oto- Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO-KHC), the German Society of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ), the Society for Pediatric Pneumology (GPP), the German Respiratory Society (DGP), the German Association of ENT Surgeons (BV-HNO), the Professional Federation of Paediatricians and Youth Doctors (BVKJ), the Federal Association of Pulmonologists (BDP) and the German Dermatologists Association (BVDD). Allergo J Int 23(8):282–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40629-014-0032-2 - DOI - PubMed - PMC

LinkOut - more resources