Comparison of the radioallergosorbent test to intradermal skin testing in the diagnosis of stinging insect venom allergy.

RAST and skin tests were compared for five venoms in a group of 60 patients with histories of stinging insect allergy. Twelve patients were skin test negative to all venoms and also RAST negative. The 48 skin test positive patients gave an 88% correlation of RAST and skin test with 92% of the skin test positive patients RAST positive and 82% of the RAST positive patients skin test positive. If patients strongly positive to honey bee showing positive RAST to vespids with negative skin test were not counted, then 91% of the RAST positive patients were skin positive. The term "false" should not be used in relating RAST to skin test results without supporting challenge evidence.