LONG-TERM ORAL CORTICOSTEROID-THERAPY DOES NOT ALTER THE RESULTS OF IMMEDIATE-TYPE ALLERGY SKIN PRICK TESTS

Background: Medications can modulate the results of skin prick tests ( SPTs). Short-term corticosteroid therapy does not alter IgE-mediated s kin tests, but the impact of long-term oral corticosteroid therapy on SPT results is unclear. A prospective study runs carried out ill patie nts with steroid-dependent asthma who received oral corticosteroids fo r a long period to determine whether this treatment reduced skin test reactivity. Methods: Thirty-three patients with steroid-dependent asth ma (median age, 59 years) were compared with 66 patients with asthma w ho served as a control group, matched for age, sex, and atopic status. SPTs with codeine phosphate and a screening battery of standardized a llergen extracts were performed before commencement and after at least 1 year of daily oral prednisone treatment (median duration, 2 years; median daily dose, 20 mg). Results: Fifteen patients with corticostero id-dependent asthma were allergic before treatment, and their sensitiz ation was not changed by long-term treatment with oral corticosteroids . The median wheal diameters induced by codeine phosphate were similar in both groups. The median wheal diameters induced by allergens, and more specifically, by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae we re similar in both groups and did not change in the steroid group afte r treatment. Conclusions: Systemic corticosteroid therapy (prednisone, 10 to 60 mg/day) for 2 or more years does not seem to alter SPT react ivity.