Correlation of skin prick testing to environmental allergens

The effect of applied force and device design on skin prick test performance

BACKGROUND

Skin prick tests (SPTs) are difficult to standardize, and SPT performance mainly relies on the clinician's expertise. So far, the effect of various factors such as device types, shape, variety of material type, and applied force on the performance of SPT has not been extensively investigated.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of various factors, including type or shape of devices, material type, and applied force, on the performance of SPT.

METHODS

Four SPT devices with different shapes and materials were applied on 12 subjects under 3 different applied forces (30, 45, and 60 g). The results were compared with standard method using an ALK lancet pricked by an experienced clinician.

RESULTS

A total of 480 pricks were conducted on 12 subjects. The wheal sizes and sensitivities of all devices increased with higher applied forces. The thinner lancets with a long sharp tip had relatively higher analytical sensitivities and provided 100% sensitivity at applied forces of 45 g and above. The pain scores of all devices at applied forces of 30 to 60 g ranged from 1.00 to 1.81 with minimal incidences of bleeding (0%-4.17%), whereas the pain score of the standard method by the ALK lancet was 2.08 with much higher incidences of bleeding at 27.08%.

CONCLUSION

The type/shape of the SPT device and applied force are the essential factors affecting the performance of SPT. The study result could pave the way toward higher performance and standardized SPT.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The Thai Clinical Trials Registry identification number: TCTR20220627004 (https://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20220627004).

The Antimicrobial Effects of Bacterial Cellulose Produced by Komagataeibacter intermedius in Promoting Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice

As a conventional medical dressing, medical gauze does not adequately protect complex and hard-to-heal diabetic wounds and is likely to permit bacterial entry and infections. Therefore, it is necessary to develop novel dressings to promote wound healing in diabetic patients. Komagataeibacter intermedius was used to produce unmodified bacterial cellulose, which is rarely applied directly to diabetic wounds. The produced cellulose was evaluated for wound recovery rate, level of inflammation, epidermal histopathology, and antimicrobial activities in treated wounds. Diabetic mices' wounds treated with bacterial cellulose healed 1.63 times faster than those treated with gauze; the values for the skin indicators in bacterial cellulose treated wounds were more significant than those treated with gauze. Bacterial cellulose was more effective than gauze in promoting tissue proliferation with more complete epidermal layers and the formation of compact collagen in the histological examination. Moreover, wounds treated with bacterial cellulose alone had less water and glucose content than those treated with gauze; this led to an increase of 6.82 times in antimicrobial protection, lower levels of TNF-α and IL-6 (39.6% and 83.2%), and higher levels of IL-10 (2.07 times) than in mice wounds treated with gauze. The results show that bacterial cellulose produced using K. intermedius beneficially affects diabetic wound healing and creates a hygienic microenvironment by preventing inflammation. We suggest that bacterial cellulose can replace medical gauze as a wound dressing for diabetic patients.