What Do Allergy Skin Tests Mean?

[starion]

Dear LungLine Nurse,

I am a 44 year old female.

I had allergy skin ***** tests at NJC 12/2000.  This month (2/2002), I had allergy skin ***** tests again, as well as some skin patch tests.  My histimine reaction was a 5mm wheal at NJC & 11mm & 13mm this time.  In addition, this time I reacted to some allergens 2 I didn't react to at all at NJC.  Also, I've been getting allergy shots 2x/week for a year for dust mites, roaches, dogs, cats & rabbits, but all of these wheals were as large or larger than 12/2000, except the cat (which is now only trace from 5mm).  

For the 1st time, I was also tested for food allergies by the skin patch test on my back & I reacted to several foods I've never noticed any reaction to before (milk, wheat, rice, chocolate, clams and oysters), as well as several I've always been allergic to (shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops).  The known food allergies always gave me hives if I ate them in "normal" quantities, so I've mostly avoided them.  I'm also allergic to sulphites and MSG--which can cause major asthma.

I've read several articles that indicate that there are numerous "false positives" for food allergy skin tests.  Nonetheless, my allergist is concerned because I reacted to nearly everything I was tested against for the allergy skin tests & had I have allergic asthma & emphysema.  

I've also read that the wheal size MAY or MAY NOT indicate how sensitive and/or allergic we are to specific allergens.  I've read all NJC's materials on allergies but were wondering if there are other resources I could read to find out more.

Thanks!

Aloha,

Stario

[National Jewish]

There are certainly different opinions regarding the accuracy of different types of testing for food allergy. There are, for instance, very few Board Certified Allergists who will use patch testing for foods. There is also a fairly wide variation between results depending on the technique in skin testing for foods. For instance, ***** testing (scratch testing) has very different results from intradermal testing for foods.

One source of information that you may want to pursue is the Food Allergy Network [phone]. They have high quality and reliable information regarding food allergy.

[starion]

Dear LungLine Nurse,

Thanks for your suggestion.  I have read materials on their website & several MedLine articles & abstracts.  I will try calling them to see if they have more info.

Aloha,

Starion