The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.

<h4>Background</h4>Skin prick test (SPT) is a common test for diagnosing immunoglobulin E-mediated allergies. In clinical routine, technicalities, human errors or patient-related biases, occasionally results in suboptimal diagnosis of sensitization.<h4>Objective</h4>Although...

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Main Authors: Hjalte H Andersen, Anna Charlotte Lundgaard, Anne S Petersen, Lise E Hauberg, Neha Sharma, Sofie D Hansen, Jesper Elberling, Lars Arendt-Nielsen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0156211&type=printable
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author Hjalte H Andersen
Anna Charlotte Lundgaard
Anne S Petersen
Lise E Hauberg
Neha Sharma
Sofie D Hansen
Jesper Elberling
Lars Arendt-Nielsen
author_facet Hjalte H Andersen
Anna Charlotte Lundgaard
Anne S Petersen
Lise E Hauberg
Neha Sharma
Sofie D Hansen
Jesper Elberling
Lars Arendt-Nielsen
author_sort Hjalte H Andersen
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Skin prick test (SPT) is a common test for diagnosing immunoglobulin E-mediated allergies. In clinical routine, technicalities, human errors or patient-related biases, occasionally results in suboptimal diagnosis of sensitization.<h4>Objective</h4>Although not previously assessed qualitatively, lancet weight is hypothesized to be important when performing SPT to minimize the frequency of false positives, false negatives, and unwanted discomfort.<h4>Methods</h4>Accurate weight-controlled SPT was performed on the volar forearms and backs of 20 healthy subjects. Four predetermined lancet weights were applied (25 g, 85 g, 135 g and 265 g) using two positive control histamine solutions (1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL) and one negative control (saline). A total of 400 SPTs were conducted. The outcome parameters were: wheal size, neurogenic inflammation (measured by superficial blood perfusion), frequency of bleeding, and the lancet provoked pain response.<h4>Results</h4>The mean wheal diameter increased significantly as higher weights were applied to the SPT lancet, e.g. from 3.2 ± 0.28 mm at 25 g to 5.4 ± 1.7 mm at 265 g (p<0.01). Similarly, the frequency of bleeding, the provoked pain, and the neurogenic inflammatory response increased significantly. At 265 g saline evoked two wheal responses (/160 pricks) below 3 mm.<h4>Conclusion and clinical relevance</h4>The applied weight of the lancet during the SPT-procedure is an important factor. Higher lancet weights precipitate significantly larger wheal reactions with potential diagnostic implications. This warrants additional research of the optimal lancet weight in relation to SPT-guidelines to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the procedure.
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spelling doaj-art-eb992a8cde24433f94740a0d4bdac8e42025-08-20T03:10:58ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01115e015621110.1371/journal.pone.0156211The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.Hjalte H AndersenAnna Charlotte LundgaardAnne S PetersenLise E HaubergNeha SharmaSofie D HansenJesper ElberlingLars Arendt-Nielsen<h4>Background</h4>Skin prick test (SPT) is a common test for diagnosing immunoglobulin E-mediated allergies. In clinical routine, technicalities, human errors or patient-related biases, occasionally results in suboptimal diagnosis of sensitization.<h4>Objective</h4>Although not previously assessed qualitatively, lancet weight is hypothesized to be important when performing SPT to minimize the frequency of false positives, false negatives, and unwanted discomfort.<h4>Methods</h4>Accurate weight-controlled SPT was performed on the volar forearms and backs of 20 healthy subjects. Four predetermined lancet weights were applied (25 g, 85 g, 135 g and 265 g) using two positive control histamine solutions (1 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL) and one negative control (saline). A total of 400 SPTs were conducted. The outcome parameters were: wheal size, neurogenic inflammation (measured by superficial blood perfusion), frequency of bleeding, and the lancet provoked pain response.<h4>Results</h4>The mean wheal diameter increased significantly as higher weights were applied to the SPT lancet, e.g. from 3.2 ± 0.28 mm at 25 g to 5.4 ± 1.7 mm at 265 g (p<0.01). Similarly, the frequency of bleeding, the provoked pain, and the neurogenic inflammatory response increased significantly. At 265 g saline evoked two wheal responses (/160 pricks) below 3 mm.<h4>Conclusion and clinical relevance</h4>The applied weight of the lancet during the SPT-procedure is an important factor. Higher lancet weights precipitate significantly larger wheal reactions with potential diagnostic implications. This warrants additional research of the optimal lancet weight in relation to SPT-guidelines to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the procedure.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0156211&type=printable
spellingShingle Hjalte H Andersen
Anna Charlotte Lundgaard
Anne S Petersen
Lise E Hauberg
Neha Sharma
Sofie D Hansen
Jesper Elberling
Lars Arendt-Nielsen
The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
PLoS ONE
title The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
title_full The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
title_fullStr The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
title_full_unstemmed The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
title_short The Lancet Weight Determines Wheal Diameter in Response to Skin Prick Testing with Histamine.
title_sort lancet weight determines wheal diameter in response to skin prick testing with histamine
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0156211&type=printable
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