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Lower Incidence of Cross-reactions
LETTER
Lower Incidence of Cross-reactions
Weekitt Kittisupamongkol, MD Hua Chiew Hospital Bangkok, Thailand
To the Editor: I read with interest the article by Yates.1 The author cited that 5% to 10% of penicillin-allergic patients have an allergy to cephalosporins. I disagree. Such incidence is based on retrospective studies in which penicillin allergy was not confirmed by skin testing, and some of the reactions were probably not immune mediated.2 The correct rate of crossreactivity is less than 5%.
0002-9343/$ -see front matter © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2008.06.022
References 1. Yates AB. Management of patients with a history of allergy to betalactam antibiotics. Am J Med. 2008;121:572-576. 2. Gruchalla RS, Pirmohamed M. Clinical practice. Antibiotic allergy. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:601-609.
Lower Incidence of Cross-reactions
Weekitt Kittisupamongkol, MD Hua Chiew Hospital Bangkok, Thailand
To the Editor: I read with interest the article by Yates.1 The author cited that 5% to 10% of penicillin-allergic patients have an allergy to cephalosporins. I disagree. Such incidence is based on retrospective studies in which penicillin allergy was not confirmed by skin testing, and some of the reactions were probably not immune mediated.2 The correct rate of crossreactivity is less than 5%.
0002-9343/$ -see front matter © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2008.06.022
References 1. Yates AB. Management of patients with a history of allergy to betalactam antibiotics. Am J Med. 2008;121:572-576. 2. Gruchalla RS, Pirmohamed M. Clinical practice. Antibiotic allergy. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:601-609.