Hospitalizations in Children with a Penicillin Allergy Label: An Assessment of Healthcare Impact

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Sousa Pinto, B (Author) FMUP; Araujo, L (Author) FMUP; Freitas A (Author) FMUP; Delgado, L (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: International Archives of Allergy and Immunology

Vol. 176

Pages: 234-238

ISSN: 1018-2438

Publisher: Karger

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 24 Citations

Scopus - 25 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00P-2V0

DOI: 10.1159/000488857

Abstract (EN): Background: Beta-lactam allergy is overdiagnosed. Diagnosis of penicillin allergy has been associated with a greater use of hospital resources and an increased risk of antibiotic-resistant infections, although this issue remains poorly studied in children. We aimed to compare patient characteristics and use of hospital resources in hospitalized children with and without a record of penicillin allergy. Methods: We identified all hospitalizations in children labelled as being allergic to penicillin in a database containing all hospitalizations in Portuguese public hospitals between 2000 and 2014, and compared these with a similar number of age-, sex-, and main diagnosis-matched hospitalizations without a penicillin allergy label. Comparisons were made for length of hospital stay, comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index), in-hospital mortality, and hospitalization costs. Results: We identified 1,718 hospitalizations corresponding to children labelled as penicillin-allergic. Compared with patients without such a label, these children had longer hospital stays (mean 5 vs. 4 days, p = 0.03) and a higher comorbidity index (mean 0.11 vs. 0.09, p < 0.001). Hospitalization costs were also higher (EUR 2,071 vs. 1,798), but the difference was not significant (p = 0.12). Conclusions: Hospitalizations of children labelled as allergic to penicillin are associated with longer hospital stays, more comorbidities, and a tendency towards higher hospitalization costs. An accurate diagnosis of penicillin allergy based on clinical history and confirmatory tests is therefore essential in all paediatric patients. (C) 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 5