Occupational generalized urticaria and anaphylaxis after inhalation of cefuroxime in a nurse

Evaluation of environmental antibiotic contamination by surface wipe sampling in a large care centre

OBJECTIVES

Exposure of healthcare workers to antibiotics may cause adverse health effects. Results of environmental contamination with antibiotics, obtained by taking surface wipe samples, can be used as an indicator for potential exposure to these sensitizing drugs. The objective was to describe the results of repeated measurements of contamination with antibiotics on multiple surfaces in hospital wards. Standardized needle and syringe preparation techniques and cleaning procedures were used.

METHODS

The preparation table and the floor around the waste bin in six wards were sampled and analysed for contamination with the antibiotics amoxicillin, benzylpenicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, flucloxacillin, meropenem, piperacillin and vancomycin. Sampling was performed in four trials during 8 months. Depending on the outcome of the trials, the cleaning procedure was adapted. Liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was used for the analysis of the drugs.

RESULTS

During the four trials, contamination with all eight antibiotics was omnipresent on all preparation tables and floors in the six wards. The highest contamination was found for amoxicillin (1291 ng/cm2). Changing the cleaning procedure did not reduce the level of contamination.

CONCLUSIONS

Surface contamination with the antibiotics was widespread and most probably caused by spillage during the preparation in combination with an ineffective cleaning procedure. Strategies should be developed and implemented by institutions for safe handling of antibiotics to reduce environmental contamination and potential exposure of healthcare workers to these sensitizing drugs.

Airborne anaphylaxis: highlighting an invisible enemy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Airborne anaphylaxis is a rare disorder defined by the occurrence of anaphylactic reactions to inhaled allergens, which may arise not only in occupational exposure but also in common settings. Foods are the most common cause of airborne anaphylaxis, even organic mixtures scents. The other important cause is represented by drugs, while in the wide range of other causes, there are often reports on unique cases. This review aims to make an overview about the potential causes of airborne anaphylaxis, by analysing what is described in literature on this topic.

RECENT FINDINGS

Concerning epidemiology, no data on specific prevalence of airborne allergy in adults are available. To date, only one study evaluated the specific prevalence of airborne allergy with anaphylaxis to foods in children, resulting in 5.9% of reactions due to exposure to aerosolized foods, compared with 78% of reactions caused by food ingestion. In addition to anaphylaxis, airborne-related reactions may also present with symptoms such as rhino-conjunctivitis, wheezing, dyspnoea and asthma.

SUMMARY

A detailed anamnesis facilitates a correct diagnosis, which allows appropriate therapeutic and preventive interventions, but, similarly to rare diseases in general, only specialized doctors are able to implement it. The assumption of the approach used in emergency medicine for other causes of anaphylaxis, that is referring the patient at discharge to an allergist who will teach the basic notions to recognize symptoms and access the appropriate therapy, would allow the patient to avoid situations of serious danger.

Pricktest als Provokation – schwere anaphylaktische Reaktion auf Hauttests mit Ceftriaxon bei beruflicher Exposition

Es werden zwei Patienten vorgestellt, die wegen eines Asthma bronchiale bei beruflichem Kontakt mit Ceftriaxon abgeklärt wurden. Bei beiden trat innerhalb von Minuten nach Anlegen eines Pricktests mit Ceftriaxon eine adrenalinpflichtige, anaphylaktische Reaktion auf. Systemische Reaktionen auf Hauttests mit Betalaktamantibiotika sind relativ selten, sie können auch bei Patienten mit vorausgegangenen milden Symptomen wie Urtikaria oder beruflichen Kontaktallergien auf Betalaktame auftreten. Als Risikofaktoren werden schwere Anaphylaxien in der Anamnese und ein kurzes Reaktionsintervall genannt. Eine korrekte Durchführung der Hauttests mit Titration und eine adäquate Überwachung sind zu beachten.

Clinical Decision Support System-Assisted Pharmacy Intervention Reduces Feeding Tube-Related Medication Errors in Hospitalized Patients: A Focus on Medication Suitable for Feeding-Tube Administration

Background

Administering medication through an enteral feeding tube (FT) is a frequent cause of errors resulting in increased morbidity and cost. Studies on interventions to prevent these errors in hospitalized patients, however, are limited.

Objective

The objective was to study the effect of a clinical decision support system (CDSS)–assisted pharmacy intervention on the incidence of FT‐related medication errors (FTRMEs) in hospitalized patients.

Methods

A pre‐post intervention study was conducted between October 2014 and May 2015 in Catharina Hospital, the Netherlands. Patients who were admitted to the wards of bowel and liver disease, oncology, or neurology; using oral medication; and had an enteral FT were included. Preintervention patients were given care as usual. The intervention consisted of implementing a CDSS‐assisted pharmacy check while also implementing standard operating procedures and educating personnel. An FTRME was defined as the administration of inappropriate medication through an enteral FT. The incidence was expressed as the number of FTRMEs per medication administration. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to calculate the incidence ratio (IR) comparing both phases.

Results

Eighty‐one patients were included, 38 during preintervention and 43 during the intervention phase. Incidence of FTRMEs in the preintervention phase was 0.15 (95% CI, 0.07–0.23) vs 0.02 (95% CI, 0.00–0.04) in the intervention phase, resulting in an adjusted IR of 0.13 (95% CI, 0.10–0.18).

Discussion

Incidence of FTRMEs, as well as the IR, is comparable to previous studies.

Conclusion

The intervention resulted in a substantial reduction in the incidence of FTRMEs.