Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Fentanyl TTS with Good Tolerance to Systemic Fentanyl.

BACKGROUND: Fentanyl is primarily an opioid agonist. It is frequently used in general anesthesia as a potent analgesic. It can be administered either orally, transdermally or systemically. Adverse effects due to opium alkaloids are usually because of a non-specific histamine release. Only in a few cases, a true allergy mechanism could be involved. Immediate reactions to opioids are most frequent than delayed reactions. In the past years, delayed reactions have increased in frequency because of the wide use of Transdermal Therapeutic System (TTS) with several opioids for its potent analgesic properties. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to study delayed reaction to fentanyl TTS and cross-reactivity with other opioids. METHODS: A 52-year-old man with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer who began treatment for a bone metastases pain with fentanyl TTS, at a dose of 50 micrograms per hour (mcg/h) is the subject of the study. After 10-15 days of treatment, he developed an itchy papulovesicular rash in the application site of the fentanyl TTS. Afterward, eczema and superficial desquamation just on the application site of the patch were observed. He changed several times the site of application, but always developing the same symptoms in every single application. Later on, he tolerated other opioids such as oral morphine or tramadol. An allergy workout was performed. We performed Patch Tests (PT) with fentanyl at a concentration of 10% in aqua (aq) and with buprenorphine 10% aq., in order to investigate probable crossreactivity among other topical opioids. RESULTS: Readings were recorded at day 2 (D2) and day 4 (D4), with positive PT only with fentanyl at D2 (+++) and D4 (+++). We decided to perform a single-blind challenge test with buprenorphine 35 mcg/h in TTS, with a negative result. At this moment, fentanyl TTS was replaced by buprenorphine TTS, with good tolerance. CONCLUSION: We present the case of Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD) due to hypersensitivity to fentanyl with good tolerance to buprenorphine. Positive PT in this patient suggests a type IV hypersensitivity mechanism. Allergic reactions to opioids are frequently immediate, but delayed reactions could appear, especially when the drug is administered topically.

Celiac Disease and Wheat Allergy: A Growing Association?

INTRODUCTION: Celiac disease and wheat allergy (WA) are infrequent diseases in the general population, and a combination of the 2 is particularly rare. Celiac disease occurs in around 1% of the general population and WA in around 1% of all children. CASE REPORT: We report 2 patients with celiac disease and a gluten-free diet who developed WA consistent in anaphylaxis and an eyelid angioedema, respectively, through accidental wheat exposure. A serum study and an intestinal biopsy confirmed celiac disease. Both patients were studied with a skin prick test and serum-specific IgE, with a diagnosis of WA. DISCUSSION: In patients with celiac disease, the trace amounts of cereals present in gluten-free food could act as a sensitization factor, and probably patients with persistent symptoms (despite a gluten-free diet) are experiencing WA symptoms rather than celiac disease symptoms. The number of patients diagnosed with celiac disease has increased in the recent decades: the association between celiac disease and WA, exceedingly rare to date, could increase as well, prompting special attention to the possibility of inadvertent intake of cereals.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome versus Jarisch Herxheimer Reaction in an HIV Positive Patient with Secondary Syphilis.

BACKGROUND: HIV positive patients can suffer many complications due to infectious diseases. A sever drug reaction to some of the drugs involved in the treatment can overlap the symptoms of the infections, making the diagnosis very difficult. We present the case of a 28-year-old-man, HIV positive, with secondary syphilis, who developed a Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) caused by one of the many drugs he received. The SJS was overlapped with a possible Jarisch Herxheimer Reaction, which complicated the diagnosis of the skin reaction. OBJECTIVE: In HIV+ patients, the overlapping of severe drug reactions and infectious diseases could be fatal, thus an accurate diagnosis is mandatory. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A Rapid Plasma Reagin Test (RPR), an ELISA test, a blood laboratory test, chest radiography and a skin biopsy were realized in order to diagnose the infectious disease and the cause of skin lesions. Intradermal tests and double blind challenge tests were realized in the allergy study. RESULTS: The laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis of syphilis; the skin biopsy confirmed the cause of lesions, a severe allergic reaction as a SJS. The allergy study discharged all the drugs involved, except dypirone which wasn't proved in the study because of the severity of reaction, the high possibility to be the causative drug and the alternative of other similar drugs available. For the inflammatory response, HIV+ patients are especially susceptible to severe reaction, both infectious and allergic, as in this case. Thus, recent patents emphasize the interest in inflammatory molecules that cause inflammatory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Although the diagnose of SJS has established criteria, the possibility of overlapping with infectious illness and/or with its treatment, may complicate the diagnosis.

[Cereal-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis]. / Anafilaxia dependiente de cereales inducida por ejercicio.

Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) is increasing. In vitro test such as omega-5-gliadin levels are useful in the diagnosis, while oral single blind challenge tests (OCT) with wheat plus exercise continuous being the gold standard diagnostic method. This paper reports the case of a 38-year-old woman, with several episodes of anaphylaxis after eating different foods and doing exercise after ingestion. An allergy study was performed with positive skin prick tests for wheat, barley and rye. Total IgE 238.0KU/L, positive specific IgE (>100KU/L) to wheat, barley and rye, and negative to rTri-a-19 omega-5 gliadin. OCT with bread and exercise was positive. In this case of wheat-dependent exerciseinduced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) with negative serum specific IgE to omega-5-gliadin, negative results with gamma, alpha, bheta y omega-gliadin doesn't exclude the diagnosis of WDEIA.

La anafilaxia inducida por ejercicio dependiente de trigo (WDEIA por sus siglas en inglés de wheat-dependent-exercise-induced-anaphylaxis) es una entidad cada vez más frecuente. La detección de IgE frente a omega-5-gliadina in vitro se usa como método diagnóstico, pero la provocación oral controlada simple ciego (POC) con el alimento, junto con la realización de ejercicio físico, es el método diagnóstico patrón de referencia. Se comunica el caso de una paciente de 38 años de edad, con antecedente de episodios de anafilaxia relacionados con la ingestión de alimentos y la realización de actividad física. Se realizó un estudio alergológico. Las pruebas cutáneas fueron positivas a harina de trigo, cebada y centeno. IgE total: 238.0 kU/L, IgE específica positiva (mayor de 100 kU/L) a trigo, cebada, centeno y negativa a rTri-a-19omega-5 gliadina. La provocación oral controlada con pan de trigo y ejercicio físico fue positiva. En este caso con anafilaxia inducida por ejercicio dependiente de trigo sin sensibilización omega-5 gliadina la ausencia de IgE frente gamma, alfa, beta yomega-gliadina no excluiría el diagnóstico de esta enfermedad.