Experience with a new commercial skin testing kit to identify IgE-mediated penicillin allergy

Intern Med J. 2008 May;38(5):357-61. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2008.01657.x.

Abstract

Many patients who describe a history of allergy to penicillin do not prove to be allergic and can be treated safely with penicillin. After a period of 2 years where testing of penicillin allergy was not possible, a new commercial kit has recently become available. We report our initial experience with use of the kit with 29 patients and discuss one patient who experienced anaphylaxis during i.d. testing.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Anaphylaxis / immunology
  • Drug Hypersensitivity / diagnosis*
  • Drug Hypersensitivity / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin E / adverse effects*
  • Immunoglobulin E / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin E / physiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Penicillins / adverse effects*
  • Penicillins / immunology
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic* / trends
  • Skin Tests / methods*
  • Skin Tests / standards
  • Skin Tests / trends

Substances

  • Penicillins
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Immunoglobulin E