title: Anaphylaxis to disodium cromoglycate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reports about side effects from cromolyn sodium (DSCG) are few and only a minority of them indicate the possibility of an immediate type I hypersensitivity reaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report an 8-year-old boy with a history of seasonal rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma. The patient reported two immediate episodes of acute asthma following inhalation of a cromolyn sodium (DSCG) capsule with an interval of 6 months. The latter occasion was also associated with conjunctivitis and generalized urticaria, requiring emergency treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An end-point prick test elicited a 4-mm wheal at 10 mg/mL with DSCG solution for inhalation and DSCG eye drops. An end-point intradermal skin test with DSCG solution for inhalation elicited a 12-mm mean diameter wheal at 10 mg/mL. During the intradermal test, the patient developed conjunctivitis and wheezing with a FEV1 fall of 27% from baseline. Controlled conjunctival and bronchial challenge tests were positive. The bronchial challenge test was repeated 3 years later showing a FEV1 fall of 22% five minutes after inhalation of 1 mg/mL DSCG during one minute. A leukocyte histamine release test performed by an autoanalysis fluorometric procedure, with several dilutions of DSCG, was negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case of DSCG anaphylaxis satisfies the criteria for an IgE-mediated reaction. We believe that thought should be given more frequently to this mechanism when patients report adverse reactions to DSCG.
authors.affiliation: Allergy Unit, Hospital del Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Ibañez
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Laso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martinez-San Irineo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D004205:Cromolyn Sodium