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VIDEO: Majority of ‘penicillin allergic’ patients can be de-labeled
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NEW ORLEANS — About 95% of patients currently labeled as penicillin allergic are not and most can be de-labeled through skin tests, John M. Kelso, MD, from the division of allergy, asthma and immunology at Scripps Clinic, told Healio Internal Medicine.
He noted that handling inappropriately labeled penicillin allergic patients with alternative antibiotics is more expensive, less effective, has more side effects and contributes to antibiotic resistance.
Kelso also discussed the importance of confirming a suspected food allergy diagnosis with a blood test and tailoring orders for such tests, as well as considering immunotherapy and allergy referral for patients with uncontrolled symptoms.
Disclosure: Kelso reports no relevant financial disclosures.