Allergic rhinitis is a common IgE-mediated inflammatory condition of the nasal mucosa. Skin prick test (SPT) remains the most useful test for detecting specific allergic triggers associated with allergic rhinitis.

Our objective was to study the sensitivity to common aeroallergens in allergic rhinitis patients using SPT

We conducted SPT to 65 common aeroallergens on 100 patients more than 12 years of age with symptoms suggestive of allergic rhinitis.

Sixty-one patients (61%) tested positive for at least one aeroallergen, of which, 54 patients (88.52%) showed polysensitization while seven patients (11.48%) showed monosensitization. The most common aeroallergen group implicated in SPT positivity was insects (48%); housefly (34%) being the most commonly implicated insect.

This study highlights a high prevalence of sensitivity to aeroallergens in the Indian scenario. It stresses upon the fact that environmental control measures might still prove to be the mainstay of treatment in our scenario, owing to housefly being the most commonly implicated aeroallergen.

Mishra M, Chakravarti A, Kumar R. Skin Sensitivity to Aeroallergens in Allergic Rhinitis. Clin Rhinol An Int J 2013;6(2):64-66.