MILWAUKEE, Feb. 12, 2025
Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels limit access to preferred antibiotics
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Immunocompromised patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCTs) who have a reported penicillin allergy should be evaluated as the allergy label limits access to preferred antibiotics, according to new research being presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress in San Diego, CA.
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"We have a very good understanding that the prevalence of penicillin allergy labels is high in the general population and negatively affects clinical outcomes. Our study demonstrated that penicillin allergy labels are also prevalent in highly immunocompromised patients undergoing transplants, affecting 12% of patients (and up to 19% of female patients). We also found that most of these penicillin allergy labels were not evaluated prior to transplant, even though patients with HSCTs have a high propensity for infections where penicillin and related antibiotics are preferred treatments. There is a clear need to expand evaluation efforts to target patients with HSCTs and other immunocompromised patient populations" said lead author Ami Belmont, MD.
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Using data from 2013-2023 extracted from Yale New Haven Hospital EMR and the transplant registry, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of patients who received autologous or allogenic HSCTs. Among 1,359 patients undergoing HSCT, with a median age of 60 years old, 12% were found to have a penicillin allergy label. Penicillin allergy labels were more common among patients who were female, 19%, and White compared to non-White patients, 15%, with no differences in age or ethnicity. The study found that 2% of patients also had a cephalosporin allergy label and 6% had a sulfonamide allergy label. Only one patient out of the 1,359 in the transplant registry received penicillin allergy testing prior to receiving the transplant, and 2 patients received cephalosporin testing prior to transplant.
Because penicillin is often the preferred first line of treatment for many conditions requiring antibiotics, patients with unverified penicillin allergy labels may experience worse outcomes and suboptimal care. Although future research is needed to understand the specific risks associated with PALs and other antibiotic allergy labels in this vulnerable population, this study highlights an important need for penicillin allergy evaluation.
Visit aaaai.org to learn more about penicillin and delabling from the AAAAI Penicillin Allergy Center. Research presented at the 2025 AAAAI / WAO Joint Congress, February 28 � March 3 in San Diego, CA, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists and other professionals with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies, asthma and immune deficiency disorders.
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Candace Archie, The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, (414) 272-6071, carchie@aaaai.org, aaaai.org�
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SOURCE The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
