COMPARISON OF THE RADIOALLERGOSORBENT TEST TO INTRADERMAL SKIN TESTING IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF STINGING INSECT VENOM ALLERGY

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (4) , 211-213
Abstract
RAST [radioallergosorbent test] and skin tests were compared for 5 venoms in 60 patients with histories of stinging [Hymenoptera] insect allergy. Patients (12) were skin test negative to all venoms and also RAST negative. The 48 skin test positive patients gave an 88% correlation of RAST and skin test with 92% of the skin test positive patients RAST positive and 82% of the RAST positive patients skin test positive. If patients strongly positive to honey bee showing positive RAST to vespids with negative skin test were not counted, then 91% of the RAST positive patients were skin test positive. The term false should not be used in relating RAST to skin test results without supporting challenge evidence.