A EAACI drug allergy interest group survey on how European allergy specialists deal with β-lactam allergy

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Maria Jose Torres
  • Gulfem Elif Celik
  • Paul Whitaker
  • Marina Atanaskovic-Markovic
  • Annick Barbaud
  • Andreas Bircher
  • Miguel Blanca
  • Knut Brockow
  • Jean Christoph Caubet
  • Josefina Rodrigues Cernadas
  • Anca Chiriac
  • Pascal Demoly
  • Garvey, Lene Heise
  • Hans F. Merk
  • Holger Mosbech
  • Alla Nakonechna
  • Antonino Romano

An accurate diagnosis of β-lactam (BL) allergy can reduce patient morbidity and mortality. Our aim was to investigate the availability of BL reagents, their use and test procedures in different parts of Europe, as well as any differences in the diagnostic workups for evaluating subjects with BL hypersensitivity. A survey was emailed to all members of the EAACI Drug Allergy Interest Group (DAIG) between February and April 2016, and the questionnaire was meant to study the management of suspected BL hypersensitivity. The questionnaire was emailed to 82 DAIG centres and answered by 57. Amoxicillin alone or combined to clavulanic acid were the most commonly involved BL except in the Danish centre, where penicillin V was the most frequently suspected BL. All centres performed an allergy workup in subjects with histories of hypersensitivity to BL: 53 centres (93%) followed DAIG guidelines, two national guidelines and two local guidelines. However, there were deviations from DAIG recommendations concerning allergy tests, especially drug provocation tests. A significant heterogeneity exists in current practice not only among countries, but also among centres within the same country. This suggests the need to re-evaluate, update and standardize protocols on the management of patients with suspected BL allergy.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAllergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume74
Issue number6
Pages (from-to)1052-1062
Number of pages11
ISSN0105-4538
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019

    Research areas

  • allergy, diagnosis, Europe, guidelines, β-Lactam

ID: 241422930