[Skin tests, serum specific IgE and total IgE in the diagnosis of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis]. / Pruebas cutáneas, IgE sérica específica e IgE total en el diagnóstico de pacientes con rinitis alérgica perenne.

BACKGROUND: Skin tests are the most used diagnostic method of allergic rhinitis, which, in addition to identify specific allergen, can determine the relative sensitivity of one patient to the allergen. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between skin test reactivity and total and specific serum IgE levels on the diagnosis of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We measured the response to skin test reactivity and total and specific serum IgE levels in 69 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. RESULTS: The skin test reactivity showed responses to: Dermatophagoides pt in 62 patients (90%), house dust in 57 (83%), cat in 41 (59%), dog in 23 (33%), and Lolium p in 16 (23%). The mean level of total IgE was of 378 UI (19 to 4,036) and that of specific IgE was of 39.2 UI (0.2 to 98.6). Total IgE > 200 UI was observed in fifty two patients (75%), which was significantly lesser than the frequency of specific IgE > 0.35 UI (at least for an allergen), which was 94% (p < 0.05, Z). At least two tests of skin reactivity were positive for 90% of the patients. This frequency was similar to the 95% for the specific IgE but different to the 75% for the total IgE (p < 0.05, X2). The correlation between the results of the skin test reactivity and the specific seric IgE showed Spearman r from 0.23 to 0.35 (p < 0.05). The correlation between the total IgE and the specific IgE showed a Spearman r of 0.08 (p < 0.05) and between the total IgE and the skin test reactivity an r of 0.15 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In the diagnosis of perennial allergic rhinitis, the results of the skin test reactivity and the specific serum IgE are correlated but these two results are non consistent with the results of the total serum IgE.

[Evaluation of a questionnaire for measuring nasal symptoms in subjects with allergic rhinitis]. / Evaluación de un cuestionario para la medición de síntomas nasales en sujetos con rinitis alérgica.

BACKGROUND: For the assessment of nasal symptoms in allergic rhinitis patients, most of the questionnaires evaluate the impact of symptoms on patient's quality life. OBJECTIVE: To assess the consistent and reliability of a nasal symptom questionnaire in patients with allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 224 patients (10 to 19 years old) accepted to participate in the study. All the patients completed a questionnaire, which evaluates the severity and frequency of four nasal symptoms using a maximum total score of 12 points. The consistent was studied after the questionnaire was administered to 62 patients with allergic rhinitis and 62 patients without it. The reliability after one to four weeks was studied on 100 healthy subjects with the Bland and Altman's method. RESULTS: The total score of patients with allergic rhinitis was significantly different to the score of the patients without it (7.1 +/- 2 and 1.9 +/- 1, respectively). The alpha coefficient for the total score was 0.86. The repeated measures showed a repeatability of 96% with a repeatability coefficient of 2. CONCLUSION: The nasal symptom questionnaire is a reliable tool for the follow up of allergic rhinitis during periods of one to four weeks.