Prevalence of Positive Skin Prick Test in Thai Adults with Chronic Tympanic Membrane Perforation

Abstract

Objective: To find the frequency of a positive skin prick test (SPT) in patients that experienced chronic tympanic membrane perforation (TMP). Materials and Methods: Thai patients aged 18 years or older who experienced chronic TMP and presented at the Otorhinolaryngology Outpatient Unit, Siriraj Hospital, were recruited and underwent a SPT covering 18 kinds of indoor and outdoor allergens. Patients with active middle ear disease or conditions that made them unsuitable for the SPT and pregnant patients were excluded. Results: Forty-five participants were enrolled in the present study. The frequency of a positive SPT was 33.3%. Among the positive SPT group, 80% had polysensitization. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (mite Dp) was the most frequent positive allergen at 66.7%. The most common cause of chronic TMP in the present study was trauma. The patients’ demographic profiles in the positive and negative SPT groups showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: The frequency of allergy in the chronic TMP population in the present study was close to that of the normal population. Overall, the present study population had positive sensitization only to indoor allergens. Keywords: Tympanic membrane perforation; Allergy; Skin prick test