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Alternative nasal provocation test helps diagnose dust mite allergic rhinitis

An alternative rapid nasal provocation test appeared safer, easier and faster than the current nasal provocation test, according to study results.

The alternative method seemed to provide researchers with a useful tool in the diagnosis of house dust mite allergic rhinitis when the diagnosis is not certain, according to the study investigators.

Frédéric de Blay, MD, head of division of thoracic pathology at Strasbourg University Hospital in France, and colleagues conducted a prospective study at the allergy division, chest diseases department to assess the sensitivity, specificity and safety of an alternative rapid nasal provocation test.

The analysis included 88 patients with rhinitis, 49 of whom are allergic to house dust mite.

Participants underwent the traditional nasal provocation test, followed by a washout period of at least 4 weeks, and then they underwent the alternative test.

The alternative test had a much more reduced time to completion than the traditional test (mean 22 minutes vs. mean 97 minutes). The alternative test confirmed positive house dust mite allergic rhinitis in 41 of the 49 patients (83.7%).

Only one participant experienced an asthma exacerbation during the study, indicating a very minimal concern with safety.

There appear to be several benefits to using the alternative nasal test, according to the researchers.

“This tool might be particularly useful for evaluating patients with perennial rhinitis who are sensitized to [house dust mite], because diagnosing [house dust mite] allergic rhinitis with current methods remains problematic or uncertain,” the researchers wrote. “This test could decrease the number of unnecessary, lengthy and costly [house dust mite] desensitization procedures.” – by Ryan McDonald

Disclosure: de Blay reports receiving funding from and serving on the boards of ALK, Anergis, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Meda and Teva.