Is electrodermal testing as effective as skin prick tests for diagnosing allergies? A double blind, randomised block design study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To evaluate whether electrodermal testing for environmental allergies can distinguish between volunteers who had previously reacted positively on skin prick tests for allergy to house dust mite or cat dander and volunteers who had reacted negatively to both allergens.

Design

Double blind, randomised block design.

Setting

A general practice in southern England.

Participants

15 volunteers who had a positive result and 15 volunteers who had a negative result on a previous skin prick test for allergy to house dust mite or cat dander.

Intervention

Each participant was tested with 6 items by each of 3 operators of the Vegatest electrodermal testing device in 3 separate sessions (a total of 54 tests per participant). For each participant the 54 items

SUBMITTER: Lewith GT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC26588 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature