International archives of allergy and immunology
-
Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Penicillin allergy: value of including amoxicillin as a determinant in penicillin skin testing.
Allergy to penicillins remains an important issue. Penicillin skin testing (PST) with major and minor determinants has been shown to be a highly valuable tool for identifying IgE-mediated penicillin allergy. The value of additional testing with side-chain-specific moieties from semisynthetic penicillins such as amoxicillin is not well-established in spite of the widespread use of these medications. ⋯ These data indicate that the inclusion of the amoxicillin determinant appears to identify a small but important group of allergic individuals who may otherwise test negative on a PST panel.
-
Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Safety of cefuroxime as an alternative in patients with a proven hypersensitivity to penicillins: a DAHD cohort survey.
In patients sensitized to beta-lactams, a safe beta-lactam alternative is often needed. The objective was to assess the safety of cefuroxime in patients with a proven beta-lactam allergy. ⋯ Cefuroxime appeared to be a safe alternative in beta-lactam-allergic patients after testing. The risk of giving cefuroxime being not null, a thorough drug allergy work-up, including provocation test, is still needed.
-
Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
Increased adverse drug reactions to cephalosporins in penicillin allergy patients with positive penicillin skin test.
Cephalosporin administration in patients with a history of penicillin allergy is controversial. Studies looking at the safety of cephalosporin in patients with a history of penicillin allergy lacked a control group, had a small number of patients, and/or lacked confirmation of penicillin allergy by penicillin skin testing. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with penicillin allergy were at increased risk of adverse drug reactions when administered cephalosporin. ⋯ A greater risk of an adverse drug reaction to cephalosporin exists in patients with penicillin allergy. We recommend penicillin skin testing if cephalosporin, especially a first-generation cephalosporin, is to be administered to patients with a history of penicillin allergy.
-
Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2010
A Toll-like receptor 2/6 agonist reduces allergic airway inflammation in chronic respiratory sensitisation to Timothy grass pollen antigens.
The hygiene hypothesis negatively correlates the microbial burden of the environment with the prevalence of T helper type 2 (Th2)-related disorders, e.g. allergy and asthma. This is explained by Th1 triggering through pathogen-associated molecular patterns via Toll-like receptors (TLRs). In this study, the biological effects of a TLR2/6 agonist as a potential treatment of allergic inflammation are explored. ⋯ The use of the TLR2/6 agonist is a promising therapeutic approach in diseases with an imbalance in T cell responses, such as allergy and asthma.
-
Int. Arch. Allergy Immunol. · Jan 2009
Review Comparative StudyInternational differences in asthma guidelines for children.
Over the last decade, a number of clinical practice guidelines that include guidance for the management of pediatric asthma have been introduced. The consistency across pediatric asthma guidelines is unknown and the emphasis on establishing asthma control may vary. The objective of this paper was to depict the evolution of guidelines for pediatric asthma and to compare current international guidelines in terms of their organization, presentation of evidence and consideration of children, with special emphasis on definitions of asthma control and severity. ⋯ It will be important for future guidelines to clearly define whether the primary assessment parameter is asthma severity or control. Delineating the guideline development process and supporting evidence may improve transparency, consistency and guideline adherence.