New allergy testing service offers all clear for penicillin
LNWH clinicians and pharmacists have published a medical paper describing a safe method for testing for penicillin allergy in inpatients who believe that they are allergic.
The study, which involved 124 patients, showed around 90% of people who believed they had an allergy to penicillin didn't.
The trust's Drugs and Therapeutic Committee approved testing for low-risk patients in 2021. The authors have shown that testing inpatients with two doses of penicillin, followed by a three-day course, is a safe, effective way of ruling out an allergy.
Alastair McGregor, the infectious diseases consultant leading on the study, said: “Penicillin and its related group of antibiotics remain among the most effective treatments for bacterial infection and not being able to administer these drugs is associated with longer hospital stays, higher mortality and increased bacterial drug resistance.
“We no longer have to assume people who think they are allergic really are and can test them. In the majority of cases they will be negative and we can give them the best drugs instead.”
Cassie Watson, an antimicrobial pharmacist and co-author on the medical paper, added: “There are various reasons why patients think they might be allergic but we have shown the majority of penicillin allergies are false, and developed a simple method to confirm this so that patients can receive the optimal antibacterial treatment.”
The medical paper is an early contribution to the growing body of evidence that penicillin allergy labels can safely be removed using a simple oral challenge in a majority of low-risk inpatients.
Patients should consult with their GP or relevant hospital clinician if they have any concerns.