Skin prick test in infants – how useful is it in diagnosing atopy?

Many atopic children already experience the first signs and symptoms of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity during infancy. Skin testing remains the basis for the diagnosis of childhood allergies. The skin prick test (SPT) is widely used in the assessment of allergic disorders and remains the first choice test for investigating the immediate IgE-mediated reactions in children and adults. However, the practical usefulness and accuracy of SPT in infants is disputed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of SPT in diagnosing hypersensitivity to nutritive and inhalant allergens in atopic infants and to compare it with specific IgE antibodies against the same allergens. Also, the objective was to present evidence-based recommendations for allergy testing in infants and small children.

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