The major challenge of allergy diagnosis lies in the development of accessible and reliable diagnostics allowing correct prediction of the clinical outcome following exposure to the offending allergen(s) and cross-reactive structures. Since the late nineties, evidence has accumulated that flow-assisted analysis and quantification of ex vivo–activated basophils (according to the basophil activation test [BAT]) might meet this requirement for different IgE-dependent allergies and particular forms of autoimmune urticaria. Other so-called nondiagnostic applications of the BAT involve therapeutic monitoring, follow-up of natural histories, and identification of allergenic recognition sites. However, it has also become clear that appropriate use of the BAT necessitates knowledge about degranulation metrics and guidance to guarantee correct execution and interpretation of the results. Here, we have reviewed the most relevant applications and limitations of the BAT. Some personal statements and views about its perspectives are made.

过敏诊断的主要挑战在于开发可访问且可靠的诊断方法，以便正确预测暴露于有害过敏原和交叉反应结构后的临床结果。自 90 年代后期以来，已有证据表明体外流动辅助分析和量化– 活化的嗜碱性粒细胞（根据嗜碱性粒细胞活化试验 [BAT]）可能满足不同 IgE 依赖性过敏和特定形式的自身免疫性荨麻疹的要求。BAT 的其他所谓的非诊断应用包括治疗监测、自然病史的随访和过敏识别位点的识别。然而，也很明显，正确使用 BAT 需要有关脱粒指标和指导的知识，以确保正确执行和解释结果。在这里，我们回顾了 BAT 最相关的应用和限制。对其观点进行了一些个人陈述和观点。