Is Body Mass Index Related to Skin Reactivity to Histamine but not to Specific Allergens? A 2-Year Follow-up Study on Korean Children

Background Skin prick tests are widely used to diagnose allergic sensitization. The influence of obesity on the skin prick test result has not been clearly established, even though the association between allergic disease and obesity is relatively well known. Objective To determine whether a change in body mass index (BMI) contributes to skin reactivity to histamine and allergens in a skin prick test, we performed a 2-year follow-up study on Korean children. Methods Skin prick tests for common aeroallergens were performed on elementary school students from Jeju Island, Korea. BMI was calculated using weight and height after measuring both, and demographic characteristics were surveyed. The same tests were repeated after 2 years. Results The sensitization rate increased during the 2 years between tests and the children’s mean BMI also increased, along with their age. The wheal sizes induced by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, Japanese cedar, and histamine were significantly increased during 2 years; however, only the histamine reaction associated with increased BMI had statistical significance. Furthermore, other variables—including the number of sensitized allergens—were not related to histamine skin reactivity. Conclusion Histamine skin reactivity increased in children over time and some allergens showed increased specific reactions; however, BMI gain is a specific predictor of histamine reactivity. Further studies are needed to elucidate the clinical significance of these changes.