RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Allergy testing in asthmatics and severe asthmatics: habits among respiratory physicians in Belgium
JF European Respiratory Journal
JO Eur Respir J
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 242
DO 10.1183/13993003.congress-2020.242
VO 56
IS suppl 64
A1 Bram Flahou
A1 Jan Van Schoor
A1 Stefaan Vancayzeele
A1 Sandra Gurdain
YR 2020
UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/56/suppl_64/242.abstract
AB Background: In patients with asthma, there is currently no clear consensus which tests should be performed to confirm a diagnosis of allergy.Aims and Objectives: We aimed to gain insights in the decision making in allergy testing in patients with asthma in Belgium.Methods: Twenty-five Belgian respiratory physicians were interviewed by means of a questionnaire.Results: A majority (60%) of the respondents indicated to start, during initial allergic work-up, with skin prick testing (SPT), rather than testing for specific serum IgE (sIgE). Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p), birch, grass pollen mixture, cat epithelium, Aspergillus, Alternaria, dog epithelium, mugwort, plantago and Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) were, in descending order, the most frequently performed SPT. When testing for sIgE, 64% of respondents indicated to start with a limited, fixed set of tests during initial allergy work-up, mainly due to reimbursement restrictions. Der p, grass pollen mixture, tree pollen mixture, mixture of fungi, birch, mixtures of herbs, mixture of pets, cat epithelium, Aspergillus fumigatus and Der f are, in descending order, the most frequently performed sIgE tests. When initial tests are negative, a majority (64%) of physicians considers performing additional testing, mainly guided by a history of specific exposures. Allergy testing is performed more frequently in patients with severe asthma compared to patients with asthma but in general, the choice of allergy tests does not differ between patients with asthma or severe asthma.Conclusions: There is a large heterogeneity among Belgian respiratory physicians regarding decision making in allergy testing in patients with asthma.FootnotesCite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 242.This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).