Pharmacist-managed service providing penicillin allergy skin tests.
OBJECTIVE
A penicillin allergy skin-testing service run by pharmacists is described.


CONCLUSIONS
A board-certified allergist trained pharmacists at a tertiary care teaching hospital to administer penicillin allergy skin tests and interpret the results. A major objective of the service was to avoid unnecessary use of vancomycin and quinolones in patients claiming but not actually having a penicillin allergy. Patients with a severe type I reaction to penicillin during the preceding five years, patients with a confirmed history of a type II-IV reaction to penicillin, and severely immunosuppressed patients were not eligible for testing. As of July 2003, 26 patients had been enrolled in the service. A type I penicillin reaction was ruled out by the drug allergy history for 3 patients. The results were negative in 22 of the 23 patients who received skin testing, and in 1 the result was indeterminate. A penicillin or a beta-lactam antibiotic was administered to all 26 patients. No patient had a significant adverse reaction to skin testing or drug administration.


CONCLUSIONS
A pharmacist-managed penicillin allergy skin-testing service was well received by physicians and showed potential to avoid unnecessary use of alternative antibiotics.
Wall
Geoffrey C
GC
Iowa Methodist Medical Center (IMMC), USA. geoff.wall@drake.edu
Peters
Lisa
L
Leaders
Catherine B
CB
Wille
James A
JA
D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004513:Education, Pharmacy, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007484:Iowa; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010406:Penicillins / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000379:methods*; D024382:Professional Role; D016730:Program Development; D011996:Records; D012882:Skin Tests / Q000379:methods*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D014640:Vancomycin; D015242:Ofloxacin