The following is a summary of “Penicillin Allergy Evaluation Should Be Performed Proactively in Patients With a Penicillin Allergy Label,” published in the December 2023 issue of Allergy & Immunology by Wolfson, et al.
A penicillin allergy is the kind of pharmaceutical allergy that occurs most often among people living in the United States of America. This may be attributed to a variety of different factors. Unfavorable patient outcomes, such as a longer stay in the hospital, an increase in the incidence of perioperative infections, and an overall rise in mortality, are associated with a penicillin allergy label.
On the other hand, there is an association between the label and unfavorable patient outcomes. The use of penicillin is linked to every one of these conclusions. Despite having a history of penicillin allergy, about nine out of ten persons are able to consume penicillin without experiencing any adverse responses. This is the case even if they have a history of penicillin allergy.
The precise identification of these persons is not impossible to achieve. Those suffering from this ailment may be identified via penicillin allergy testing, which is why this conclusion is supported. In addition to their routine checkups, patients who are otherwise healthy, including children and pregnant women, should have penicillin allergy testing. It is also recommended that this testing be carried out proactively. To avoid the need to administer antibiotics, it is recommended that this be done in advance.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213219823011297
