A Comparison of Skin Test Reactions in Patients with Allergic and Vasomotor Rhinitis

Abstract

Background: Allergic and vasomotor rhinitis are the most common forms of noninfectious
rhinitis with similar signs and symptoms. Various environmental allergens have been held
responsible for allergic type of rhinitis.
Objective: To find out the common environmental allergens responsible for sensitivity in patients
with allergic rhinitis and compare the findings in vasomotor rhinitis patients.
Material and Methods: Ninety subjects were selected for the study. Out of these, 30 were
patients with allergic rhinitis, 30 were patients with vasomotor rhinitis and 30 were healthy
subjects as control. Patients were labeled as allergic rhinitis on the basis of eosinophils in nasal
smears. Sensitivity to common environmental allergens was determined by skin prick test using
Ben Card allergy test kit, strictly following manufacturer's instructions.
Results: Common environmental allergens responsible for sensitivity in allergic rhinitis patients
were house dust (86.6%), house dust mites (70%), mixed thrashings (80%), straw dust (56.6%),
hay dust (66.6%), mixed feathers (43.3%), cat fur (53.3%), cotton flock (50%), tree pollen (40%)
and grass pollen (43.3%). Sensitivity to these allergens was observed in significantly less
(p<0.01) percentage of vasomotor rhinitis and control group. Sensitivity to house dust, house dust
mites and cat fur was of severe degree in majority of allergic rhinitis patients, while sensitivity to
mixed thrashings, straw dust, hay dust and mixed feathers was of moderate to severe degree in
majority of these patients.
Conclusion: Skin prick tests provide an effective method to find out sensitivity to different
allergens in cases with allergic rhinitis to differentiate these from patients with vasomotor rhinitis.
Based on these findings the physicians can manage the patients in a better way