Improved outcomes on subcutaneous IgG in patients with humoral immunodeficiency and co-morbid bowel disease.

Immunoglobulin replacement can be life-saving for certain individuals with immunodeficiencies. Subcutaneous IgG (SCIG) is an increasingly used method of replacement over intravenous IgG (IVIG), with potential advantages including fewer systemic side effects, no need for IV access, patient-reported improved quality of life, and decreased cost. However, while patients with certain associated co-morbidities, such as protein-losing enteropathy, may demonstrate more stable IgG levels when on SCIG compared to IVIG, the clinical significance of these experiences is not well described. Using retrospective chart review, we examined three cases in which SCIG and IVIG was administered to patients with either common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) or secondary humoral immunodeficiency and protein-losing gastrointestinal co-morbid disease. Both outpatient and inpatient records were reviewed for data regarding treatment with IVIG versus SCIG, reported frequency and severity of infections, hospitalizations, and IgG levels. All three patients demonstrated improvement in infection rate, stability of IgG levels, and co-morbid disease when on SCIG as compared to IVIG. These findings suggest that the pharmacokinetics of SCIG may translate into more consistent serum IgG levels, contributing to clinical improvement in immunodeficient patients with protein-losing comorbidities when compared to IVIG. Limitations to this study are small patient numbers, retrospective design, and potential therapeutic bias. Further characterization of the effects of co-morbid conditions on immunoglobulin replacement is critical to providing improved and informed patient care.

Incidence and impact of adverse effects to antibiotics in hospitalized adults with pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: This study sought to define the incidence, economic impact, and nature of adverse drug effects (ADEs) related to antibiotics in pneumonia hospitalizations in the US. METHODS: Adult pneumonia hospitalizations were tabulated in statewide (New York) and national databases, respectively, from 2000 through 2005. The incidences of antibiotic related ADEs were determined by identifying antibiotic specific e-codes (external cause of injury codes). The modeled effect of the presence of antibiotic ADEs on length of stay (LOS) and total charges were also calculated. ADEs due to specific antibiotic classes, and the presence of certain cutaneous allergic and gastro-intestinal manifestations commonly attributable to ADEs, were tabulated. RESULTS: ADEs related to antibiotics were reported in a small but consistent proportion (0.45-0.6%) of pneumonia hospitalizations in both cohorts. The most common identifiable antibiotics class associated with ADEs was the cephalosporins followed by penicillins and quinolones. Over 60% of the ADEs were associated with reported dermal/allergic and gastro-intestinal manifestations. Multivariate analysis adjusting for co-morbid conditions and demographic factors showed that the presence of an antibiotic adverse drug effect was a significant independent predictor of greater LOS and higher total hospital charges. CONCLUSIONS: ADEs related to antibiotics can be identified by analyzing administrative hospitalization databases. For pneumonia, a common hospitalization diagnosis, there is a defined calculable impact and incidence of antibiotic associated adverse effects. This should be considered in planning hospitalization resource allocation and in developing equitable hospitalization reimbursements. Identifying the nature of antibiotic associated adverse effects may facilitate the development of strategies for reducing these adverse effects.

Increasing hospitalizations due to angioedema in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Angioedema may occur in patients taking angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. With the more prevalent use of this class of medications in the United States, it is not known whether angioedema hospitalizations have increased nationally in recent years. OBJECTIVES: To profile the trends in angioedema hospitalizations and to examine associated demographic factors and comorbid diseases in the United States. METHODS: A national database of hospitalizations in the United States was queried for hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of angioedema and other major acute allergic disorders (anaphylaxis, urticaria, and allergy unspecified). Subsequent analysis was performed to determine the current angioedema hospitalization trends (1998-2005) and to examine clinical and demographic variables that distinguished angioedema from the other allergic disease admissions. RESULTS: The angioedema hospitalization rate was 3.3 in 100,000 in 1998 and rose to 4.0 in 100,000 in 2005. In contrast, the combined hospitalization rate for nonangioedema allergic disorders showed an overall decline and was exceeded by angioedema hospitalization rates after 2000. African American patients had consistently higher hospitalization rates (> or = 2 times) for angioedema compared with non-African American patients. Hypertension, increasing age, and African American ethnicity were associated with angioedema hospitalizations. Twenty-four percent of hospitalizations for angioedema were coded for an adverse effect due to cardiovascular or antihypertensive agents. CONCLUSIONS: Angioedema has become the dominant allergic disorder that results in hospitalization in the United States. Angioedema hospitalizations have a distinct epidemiologic pattern that differs from that observed in other atopic disease hospitalizations.

Increasing anaphylaxis hospitalizations in the first 2 decades of life: New York State, 1990 -2006.

BACKGROUND: Although an increase in the occurrence of anaphylaxis has been reported in several parts of the world, this phenomenon has not been described in the United States. OBJECTIVE: To characterize anaphylaxis hospitalizations in New York State in patients younger than 20 years. METHODS: Using a statewide administrative database, hospital admissions of patients with an allergic disease (anaphylaxis, angioedema, urticaria, and allergy unspecified) as the primary diagnosis were analyzed from 1990 through 2006 in New York State. Admission rates were calculated for the allergic disease groups, as were hospitalization characteristics. Statistical modeling and group comparisons were performed with the use of negative binomial distribution analysis. RESULTS: For patients younger than 20 years, the anaphylaxis hospitalization rate increased by more than 4-fold during the study period and by 2002 exceeded the combined hospitalization rates for urticaria, angioedema, and unspecified allergy. After the widespread adoption of food anaphylaxis codes in 1994, food anaphylaxis predominated hospitalizations for anaphylaxis. Peanut was the most common food allergen in food anaphylaxis admissions. The anaphylaxis hospitalization rate for males was significantly greater than that of females (risk ratio, 1.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-1.66). Blacks were not disproportionately hospitalized for anaphylaxis. An overall bimodal age distribution showed peaks in the very young and in teens. CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that in a populous Northeastern state in the United States, anaphylaxis requiring hospitalization is increasing in the age group younger than 20 years.