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How to interpret skin prick tests and serum-specific IgE in children and young people with food allergy
  1. Kathryn Ferris1,2,
  2. Marianne Cowan3,
  3. Christine Williams1,
  4. Sinead McAteer3,
  5. Caoimhe Glancy1,
  6. Sheila Callaghan3
  1. 1 Paediatrics, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
  2. 2 Centre for medical education, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
  3. 3 Paediatric Allergy, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Kathryn Ferris, Paediatrics, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK; kferris02{at}qub.ac.uk

Abstract

Food allergy is common, it can lead to significant morbidity andnegatively impacts on quality of life; therefore, it is vitally important we get the diagnosis right. However, making the diagnosis can be complex. Clinical history is the most important diagnostic tool and subsequent investigation may help confirm the diagnosis. The investigations available to most paediatric departments are skin prick testing and specific IgE so we will focus on these. Within this article we explore the evidence related to targeted testing and how to interpret these within the clinical context.

  • nursing care
  • molecular biology

https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-320562

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors KF conceptualised the idea. MC performed a literature search on SPT and developed this section which was then reviewed by SM, CG and KF. CW and KF performed a literature search on sIgE and developed this section. All sections were reviewed, edited and assembled by KF. SC reviewed and edited the full manuscript. Final review was conducted by all authors.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.