Analysis of skin prick test results for 224 patients with eczema

Department of Dermatology, The First Hospital Affiliated to AMU, Chongqing 400038, China

^* Corresponding author:

Abstract

Objective: To understand the common inhalant allergens and food allergens and their characteristics on patients with eczema in Chongqing area. Method: Skin prick tests of common inhalant allergens and food allergens were performed on 224 patients with eczema and the test results were analyzed. Results: Among the 224 patients with eczema, 137 reacted positively to one or more allergens, with a positive rate reaching 61.2%; the inhalant allergens that ranked top 3 in the positive rate were dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (41.1%), dermatophagoides farina (37.5%), cockroach (35.3%). The top three food allergens were shrimp (7.1%), milk (4.5%), egg (4%). Conclusions: Patients with eczema were allergic to one or more allergens, and the major inhalant allergens were dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, dermatophagoides farinae and cockroaches. The positive rate of food allergens was lower that the inhalant counterparts, and the difference between male and female was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Allergen prick tests could facilitate identifying the inhalant allergens and food allergens of patients with eczema, improve treatment and health education of patients with eczema, and provide a reliable basis for effective prevention and normalized treatment.