• Am J Manag Care · Apr 2020

    High-cost, high-need patients: the impact of reported penicillin allergy.

    • Kimberly G Blumenthal, Nicolas M Oreskovic, Xiaoqing Fu, Fatma M Shebl, Christian M Mancini, Jennifer M Maniates, and Rochelle P Walensky.
    • Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, The Medical Practice Evaluation Center, The Mongan Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, 100 Cambridge St, 16th Floor, Boston, MA 02114. Email: kblumenthal@mgh.harvard.edu.
    • Am J Manag Care. 2020 Apr 1; 26 (4): 154-161.

    ObjectivesMore than 90% of patients who report a penicillin allergy have the allergy disproved when tested. Unnecessary use of alternative (non-beta-lactam) antibiotics can result in more treatment failures and adverse reactions. We described the prevalence and impact of a reported penicillin allergy in high-cost, high-need (HCHN) patients.Study DesignRetrospective cohort.MethodsWe identified HCHN patients in a care management program of an urban academic medical center (January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016). We used multivariable logistic regression models to determine the association between a reported penicillin allergy and antibiotic use. We used multivariable Poisson regression models to determine the association between a reported penicillin allergy, with or without multiple drug intolerance syndrome (MDIS; ≥3 reported drug allergies), and healthcare resource utilization (HRU).ResultsOf 1870 HCHN patients, 383 (20%) reported penicillin allergy, 835 (45%) had MDIS, and 290 (16%) had both. HCHN patients reporting penicillin allergy had an increased odds of beta-lactam alternative antibiotic use (adjusted odds ratio, 3.84; 95% CI, 2.17-6.80). HRU was significantly higher for patients reporting a penicillin allergy alone (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.13; 95% CI, 1.03-1.25) and with concurrent MDIS (aRR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.08-1.34).ConclusionsHCHN patients had a high burden of reported drug allergy. A reported penicillin allergy conferred a 4-fold increased odds of beta-lactam alternative antibiotic use. Reporting penicillin allergy, with and without MDIS, was associated with significantly more HRU. HCHN care management programs should consider systematic drug allergy evaluations to optimize antibiotic use in these fragile patients.

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