Atopic skin test re-evaluated. VI. Skin reactions to compound 48/80 and histamine in patients with atopic and non-atopic chronic respiratory complains and in normal volunteers.

Using a perfected technique for skin testing, no difference was found between skin reactions to either histamine or compound 48/80 in atopic and non-atopic patients or in healthy volunteers. The correlation of the size of the skin reactions to both compounds was only slightly lower than the correlation of the duplicates, which indicates that compound 48/80 can be used as a control extract in skin testing. The skin reactions to this compound are read after 15 minutes, just as those to inhalant allergens.