Applicability of a Simple Nasal Provocation Test in Etiologic Diagnosis of Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

The applicability of nasal challenge for etiologic diagnosis of extrinsic asthma was evaluated by assessing easiness of performance, precision, and cost of a standardized test by metered nebulizer in 20 asthmatics with and without concurrent rhinitis submitted also to skin prick tests and RAST. Although less sensitive than in the group with rhinitis (where precision was 90.4%), the nasal provocation test proved to be an easy, inexpensive, and specific (82.3%) means for contributing to the identification of allergic sensitization in patients affected by asthma alone.

The influence of birch pollination on the adenoid size in children with intermittent allergic rhinitis

“…In order to conduct the test, a new nasal provocation test manufactured by Allergopharma co. was used (test 108, birch 100%)--single dose method [10]. The result of the test was qualified as positive according to the criteria proposed by Bellia et al [11].…”