370 Correlation Between Skin Prick Test and Mast Results in Patients with Chronic Rhinitis

BACKGROUND: Among methods to confirm the allergic causes of chronic rhinitis, the most common and the most reliable method is skin prick test, followed by MAST, which is reported to be compatible to skin prick test, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity. This study was designed to confirm whether MAST is reliable test in diagnosing allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was conducted with chronic rhinitis patients who visited Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital between January 2010 and June 2011. Subjects were selected with whom the results of skin prick test and MAST were found. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety three subjects, 111 male and 82 females, were included and the mean age was 30.08 (range 6∼77). MAST was performed for 42 inhalant allergens and skin prick test was performed for 56 allergens including histamine and control. Subjects who have one or more positive allergen in skin prick test were 132, and positive in MAST were 104. Sensitivity was 63.16%, specificity was 65.57% and efficiency was 63.92%. Number of positive allergen in skin prick test was 2.42 in average and among positive subjects, 3.53. In MAST, positive allergen count was 2.1 in average and among positive subjects, 4.0. Positive rates per common allergens in skin prick test were as follow; Dermatophagoides farinae 79.69% (106 subjects), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 68.42% (91 subjects), oak pollen 12.78% (17 subjects). Positive rates per common allergens in MAST were as follow; Dermatophagoides farinae 69.52% (73 subjects), Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 59.05% (62 subjects), housedust 50.48% (53 subjects). Skin prick test result was analyzed as from negative to 6+, according to relative size of the allergen wheal compared with histamine wheal and MAST result was analyzed as from negative to class 6, according to the concentration of the solution. When we defined correlation as difference between positive count in skin prick test and class in MAST were less than 2, the correlation rate in Df was 65.80%, 59.07% in Dp. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between MAST and skin prick test is not high enough to use MAST as a diagnostic test for allergic rhinitis. The more study to confirm the reliability of MAST should be conducted.