title: No cases of perioperative allergy to local anaesthetics in the Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Local anaesthetics (LA) are often suspected as possible causes of allergic reactions. The Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre (DAAC) is the national reference centre for investigation of perioperative allergic reactions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of IgE-mediated immediate type perioperative allergic reactions to LA.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the period 2004-2013, a total of 409 patients (244 women/165 men; median age 49 years, range 1-86 years) were investigated in DAAC on suspicion of allergy associated with anaesthesia and surgery. A total of 162 (40%) patients were exposed to one or more LA. Suspected allergy to LA was investigated by prick test, intradermal test and subcutaneous provocation with the suspected drug. Patients with positive skin tests still underwent subcutaneous provocation, as false positive skin tests can occur.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 203 test series with LA were carried out on 162 patients (89 women/73 men; mean age 49 years, range 2-85 years) with the following drugs: Lidocaine n = 80 (49%), bupivacaine n = 82 (51%), ropivacaine n = 31 (19%) and mepivacaine n = 10 (6%). All 162 patients had negative subcutaneous provocation for all tested LA (95% CI: 0-1.8%). Investigations revealed another allergen in 52 of 162 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  None of the 162 patients with suspected perioperative allergic reactions and exposure to LA reacted on subcutaneous provocation with the relevant LA. Thus, no patients have been diagnosed with allergy to LA in DAAC in the period 2004-2013 and allergy to LA must be considered very rare in this population.
authors.affiliation: Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre, Allergy Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: A D
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4147-0987
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kvisselgaard
authors.affiliation: Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre, Allergy Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krøigaard
authors.affiliation: Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre, Allergy Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Mosbech
authors.affiliation: Danish Anaesthesia Allergy Centre, Allergy Clinic, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Garvey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local