In individuals with local and dual allergic rhinitis, basophil activation test can be a valuable biomarker of the severity of rhinitis and also aids in the diagnosis of local respiratory allergies.

A study aimed to examine the connection between the basophil activation test (BAT) and the rhinitis severity in individuals with local respiratory allergy.

Prospective analysis of 84 rhinitis subjects (thirty-four allergic rhinitis [AR], twenty-six dual allergic rhinitis [DAR], sixteen local allergic rhinitis [LAR], and eight non-allergic rhinitis [NAR]), and eleven healthy non-atopic controls (HC) was conducted. BAT was carried out using olive pollen (OP), grass pollen (GP), Alternaria alternata (AA), and/or Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (DP). Data on the clinical and demographic aspects were gathered.

According to the clinical phenotype, BAT exhibited a distinct diagnosis rating, with positive findings in 50%, 80%, and 91% of subjects with LAR, DAR, and AR, and negative results in 91% and 75% of subjects with HC and NAR. BAT was positive to DP in 40% of LAR and 47% of DAR subjects, to AA in 40% of LAR and 50% of DAR subjects, and to GP and OP in 67% of LAR subjects when it came to local allergen sensitization.

In terms of local sensitizations, DAR persons had larger percentages of peripheral basophils that expressed CD63 following allergen stimulation (%CD63) than LAR people. In both LAR and DAR, rhinitis severity and %CD63 were shown to be positively correlated (r=0.777 and r=0.748, respectively). Systematic sensitizations showed no association.

BAT can be a useful measure of the severity of rhinitis and may assist in the identification of local respiratory allergies in those with LAR and DAR.