Intradermal Testing Identifies 1 in 4 Patients with Nonimmediate Penicillin Allergy.

BACKGROUND: Intradermal testing with delayed reading (IDTdr), used routinely in many centers, may identify delayed reactions to penicillins. However, few studies have compared the results of IDTdr with drug provocation test (DPT). The aim of this study was to examine the proportion of provocation-positive patients testing positive on IDTdr. METHODS: Fifty-seven patients with a positive DPT occurring >2 h after intake of penicillin V, dicloxacillin, pivampicillin, or amoxicillin had an IDTdr with penicillin G, amoxicillin, ampicillin, and dicloxacillin. A control group included 18 patients with negative DPTs with the suspected penicillin. RESULTS: In total 25% (n = 14) of provocation-positive patients tested positive on IDTdr. Among patients with positive IDTdr, 9/14 (64%) versus 11/43 (26%) in the IDTdr negative group (p < 0.05) had required oral steroids to treat skin reactions following DPT. No other differences between IDTdr positive and negative groups were found. No controls had a positive IDTdr. CONCLUSION: Investigating with IDTdr would have identified 25% of patients with a DPT-verified allergy with delayed reactions. It is difficult to target subgroups who will test positive on IDTdr. There were more patients who tested positive on IDT who had received oral steroids after DPT, and this may be an indication that skin reaction severity plays a role in skin testing diagnostics. Further potential predictors for positivity of IDTdr, such as duration of skin symptoms, should be assessed in large studies in order to optimize the investigations of nonimmediate drug allergic reactions.

The Importance of Prolonged Provocation in Drug Allergy - Results From a Danish Allergy Clinic.

BACKGROUND: Drug provocation is the "Gold Standard" in drug allergy investigation. Recent studies suggest that a negative drug provocation on first dose should be followed by a prolonged provocation over several days. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate drug allergy investigations on the basis of drug provocation, including prolonged provocation. METHODS: Data from adult patients investigated for drug allergy in a Danish Allergy Clinic during the period 2010 to 2014 were entered into a database. Data included clinical details and results of provocations with suspected culprit drug (for penicillins performed only in specific IgE-negative patients). If provocation was negative on first dose, treatment was continued for 3 to 10 days. RESULTS: A total of 1,913 provocations were done in 1,659 patients, median age 46 years, of whom 1,237 (74.6%) were females. Drugs investigated were antibiotics, 1,776 (92.8%), of which 1,590 (89.5%) were penicillins; analgesics, 59 (3.1%); local anesthetics, 33 (1.7%); and other drugs, 45 (2.4%). In total, 211 of 1,913 (11.0%) provocations were positive. Causes were antibiotics, 198 (93.8%), of which 167 (84.3%) were penicillins; analgesics, 7 (3.3%); local anesthetics, 0; and other drugs, 6 (2.8%). Only 43 (20.4%) provocations were positive on first dose, whereas 95 (45.0%) turned positive more than 3 days later. CONCLUSIONS: Only 11.0% of the provocations were positive. Importantly, only 1 of 5 patients tested positive on the first dose, indicating that prolonged exposure should always be considered when drug provocation is included in allergy investigations. Most provocations were with penicillins, reflecting the pattern of antibiotic use in Denmark, which differs from that in other countries, especially outside Northern Europe.

[Using the KOALA database to ensure quality of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rehabilitation]. / Brug af KOALA-databasen til kvalitetssikring af rehabilitering af patienter med kronisk obstruktiv lungesygdom.

Rehabilitation is a cornerstone in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. KOALA is a web-based database where information about patients' rehabilitation sessions in hospital or in municipalities can be registered. A retrospective study of the effect of rehabilitation in 63 patients at Frederiksberg Hospital showed results in accordance with earlier studies. The database could be improved by including more co-morbidities and pharmacological treatment. Not all hospitals or municipalities employ KOALA which we would recommend to ensure quality assurance and material for further research.