Selective severe anaphylactic reaction due to ketorolac tromethamine without nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug intolerance

Study of Excipients in Delayed Skin Reactions to mRNA Vaccines: Positive Delayed Intradermal Reactions to Polyethylene Glycol Provide New Insights for COVID-19 Arm

BACKGROUND

Skin local reactions to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been linked to the use of vaccine excipients. The aim of the study is to evaluate the role of skin testing excipients in delayed skin reactions due to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

METHODS

Skin testing among a group of healthcare workers with skin reactions due to mRNA vaccines was performed. Patch testing and intradermal testing (IDT) with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-400, PEG-2000, trometamol, and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were performed. Healthcare workers without skin reactions to vaccines were used for skin testing as controls.

RESULTS

Thirty-one healthcare workers (from a total of 4315 vaccinated healthcare workers) experienced cutaneous adverse vaccine reactions. Skin testing was performed in sixteen of the healthcare workers (11 delayed large local reactions (DLLR) and 5 widespread reactions). Positive IDT for PEG-2000 1% in DLLR was seen in 10 (90.9%) patients, in comparison with one (16.6%) individual with a delayed widespread reaction. Delayed positive IDT reactions for PEG-2000 1% on day 2 were observed in three (27.3%) patients with DLLR. Patch testing of the excipients was negative. Among 10 controls, only one exhibited a transient positive IDT reaction to PEG-2000 1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Immediate and delayed reactions to IDT are frequently detected in patients with DLLR. The observation of positive delayed intradermal reactions to PEG disclosed only in patients with DLLR reinforces a possible role of PEG in the development of these reactions. Skin testing of other excipients is of little importance in clinical practice.

NSAID Hypersensitivity in the Pediatric Population: Classification and Diagnostic Strategies

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most frequently administered drugs, mainly for their anti-pyretic, but also for pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects in children. NSAIDs are composed of structurally divergent subgroups of drugs with similar pharmacological and adverse effects. Aspirin originates from salicin and was the first synthesized analgesic. As a prototype of NSAIDs; aspirin-induced hypersensitivity reactions were first reported, but subsequently, other phenotypes of hypersensitivity reactions were also described with aspirin and other NSAIDs. There are certain challenging aspects of NSAID-hypersensitivity in the pediatric population that need to be further investigated. These include the effect of age on drug metabolism and the natural history of the various phenotypes of NSAID-hypersensitivity, the effect of certain co-factors (infections, exercise) on NSAID-hypersensitivity, and diagnostic clinical and laboratory biomarkers clarifying the endotypes. In recent years, a non-negligible number of case series, studies and expert panel reports have been published in this field with some novel features and diagnostic modalities in the pediatric population. With the current review; the clinical phenotypes and diagnostic and management modalities of suspected NSAID-induced hypersensitivity reactions in childhood and adolescence were explained and updated by examining past and current publications.

Allergies and COVID-19 vaccines: An ENDA/EAACI Position paper

BACKGROUND

Anaphylaxis, which is rare, has been reported after COVID-19 vaccination, but its management is not standardized.

METHOD

Members of the European Network for Drug Allergy and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology interested in drug allergy participated in an online questionnaire on pre-vaccination screening and management of allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and literature was analysed.

RESULTS

No death due to anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines has been confirmed in scientific literature. Potential allergens, polyethylene glycol (PEG), polysorbate and tromethamine are excipients. The authors propose allergy evaluation of persons with the following histories: 1-anaphylaxis to injectable drug or vaccine containing PEG or derivatives; 2-anaphylaxis to oral/topical PEG containing products; 3-recurrent anaphylaxis of unknown cause; 4-suspected or confirmed allergy to any mRNA vaccine; and 5-confirmed allergy to PEG or derivatives. We recommend a prick-to-prick skin test with the left-over solution in the suspected vaccine vial to avoid waste. Prick test panel should include PEG 4000 or 3500, PEG 2000 and polysorbate 80. The value of in vitro test is arguable.

CONCLUSIONS

These recommendations will lead to a better knowledge of the management and mechanisms involved in anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines and enable more people with history of allergy to be vaccinated.

Biphasic Anaphylactic Reaction to Ketorolac Tromethamine

Ketorolac tromethamine is a recent injectable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) with analgesic properties approved for short-term pain management. In spite of its increasing use both in adults and children (1-2), relatively few allergic-like reactions have been reported (3–5). Reactions are often severe, and a death occurred following an intramuscular injection of ketorolac (6).

Pyrazolones metabolites are relevant for identifying selective anaphylaxis to metamizole

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most common cause of hypersensitivity reactions, with pyrazolones the most frequent drugs inducing selective reactions. Immediate selective hypersensitivity to pyrazolones is thought to be mediated by specific-IgE. Sensitivity of in vitro diagnostic tests is low and this may be due to the incomplete characterization of the structures involved. Here we investigated whether main metabolites of metamizole (dipyrone) in human could be involved in the immune response using the basophil activation test (BAT). We studied subjects with confirmed selective immediate hypersensitivity to metamizole and performed BAT with metamizole and its metabolites: 4-methylamino-antipyrine (MAA), 4-aminoantipyrine (AA), 4-acetylamino-antipyrine (AAA) and 4-formylamino-antipyrine (FAA). BAT results showed an increase of positive results from 37.5% to 62.5% using metamizole plus metabolites as compared with the BAT carried out only with the parent drug, demonstrating that metamizole metabolites have a role in the reaction and can induce specific basophil activation in patients with immediate hypersensitivity to this drug. Our findings indicate that pyrazolone metabolites are useful for improving the in vitro diagnosis of allergic reactions to metamizole.

Basophil activation after nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs stimulation in patients with immediate hypersensitivity reactions to these drugs

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the drugs most frequently involved in allergic reactions of which two main types exist: IgE-mediated and crossintolerance. The diagnosis of crossintolerance reactions is often based on the drug provocation test. The potential value of the basophil activation test (BAT) was evaluated using different basophil markers in the diagnosis of patients with crossintolerance to NSAIDs and cutaneous symptoms. We studied 46 patients with crossintolerance to NSAIDs and 45 tolerant controls. BAT was performed with acetyl salicylic acid, paracetamol, diclofenac, dipyrone, naproxen, and ibuprofen at four different concentrations using CD193 and CD203c as basophil markers and CD63 as activation marker. We compared BAT results using CD193⁺ or CD193⁺ CD203c⁺ for basophil selection and found a significant increase in the stimulation index when using CD193⁺ CD203c⁺ in both patients and controls (P = 0.004 and P = 0.017, respectively). Selection of living cells only produced an increase in basophil stimulation in patients for both CD193⁺ and CD193⁺ CD203c⁺ (P < 0.001 for both), whereas in controls there was no change with CD193⁺ and a decrease with CD193⁺ CD203c⁺ (P = 0.001). We found that CD193⁺ CD203c⁺ increased the percentage of positive cases in patients and controls when compared with CD193⁺. When excluding dead cells, there was an increase of 21.7% in patients and 10% in controls. These results indicate that using CD193⁺ CD203⁺, excluding dead cells, is the best approach for BAT although this test is not recommended for the diagnosis of patients with crossintolerance to NSAIDs owing to its low sensitivity and specificity.

Value of the clinical history in the diagnosis of urticaria/angioedema induced by NSAIDs with cross-intolerance

BACKGROUND

Multiple Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)-induced urticaria/angioedema is the most common manifestation of hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs. Diagnostic evaluation is based on the clinical history and a drug provocation test.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of the clinical history in the diagnosis of multiple NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema.

METHODS

We studied a group of patients with an unequivocal history of urticaria and/or angioedema after NSAID intake. Subjects had to have had at least two episodes of cutaneous symptoms with two different COX-1 inhibitors. The diagnosis was confirmed in all cases by a drug provocation test with acetyl salicylic acid (ASA). Multivariate analysis was done by analysing different variables, including number of drugs involved, episodes and time elapsed between drug intake and symptom onset.

RESULTS

Of the total group of 75 cases with multiple NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema diagnosed according to the clinical history, 76% developed a positive drug provocation test with ASA. The risk for having hypersensitivity was 17 times higher in patients who developed symptoms within the first 60 min after drug intake, 13 times higher in those who experienced reactions with more than two non-chemically related NSAIDs, and 10 times higher in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Drug provocation testing with ASA confirms the diagnosis of multiple NSAID-induced urticaria/angioedema in up to 92% of cases with an unequivocal clinical history, when reactions occur within 1 h and more than two different NSAIDs are involved.

Clinical Management of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity diseases caused by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents are relatively common in the population. This article summarizes the present understanding on the various allergic and nonallergic clinical pictures produced through hypersensitivity to these drugs using the pathogenic classification of hypersensitivity reactions recently proposed by the Nomenclature Committee of the World Allergy Organization to guide clinicians in the diagnosis and management of patients with these conditions.

Clinical management of adult patients with a history of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced urticaria/angioedema: update

In the large majority of previous studies, patients with a history of acute urticaria induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) seeking safe alternative drugs have undergone tolerance tests uniquely with compounds exerting little or no inhibitory effect on the cyclooxygenase 1 enzyme. In light of recently published studies, however, this approach seems inadequate and should be changed. The present article critically reviews the clinical management of patients presenting with a history of urticaria induced by a single NSAID or multiple NSAIDs and suggests a simple, updated diagnostic algorithm that may assist clinicians in correctly classifying their patients.

Report of an Anaphylactoid and an Anaphylactic Reaction to Ketorolac in Two Pediatric Surgical Patients

Ketorolac is a potent analgesic drug that has been restricted in dosage and use because of its potential adverse effects. The diagnostic and ethical challenges of 2 children who had unpredictable adverse drug reactions to ketorolac are reported. Case 1: A 3-year-old boy received ketorolac 1 mg/kg for prevention of postoperative pain at the end of an orthopedic surgical procedure. Ten minutes later, he had bilateral palpebral edema, erythema in thorax, hypotension, and tachycardia. The adverse event was classified as a mixed reaction probably related to ketorolac. Case 2: A 7-year-old girl, who had previously received ketorolac in 2 different surgical procedures, underwent a third orthopedic surgery. She received ketorolac 1 mg/kg as pre-emptive analgesia at 1.5 hours of anesthetic time (approximately 1 hour of surgical time). The patient developed palpebral edema 5 minutes later in addition to erythema in thorax, hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, oxygen desaturation, and wheezing. The adverse event was classified as a systemic reaction probably related to ketorolac. The 2 patients were successfully treated with symptomatic therapy. Although rare in its frequency, ketorolac administration may be associated to anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions in children with or without history of previous exposure. Because ketorolac is off-licensed for pediatric patients, it should be administered only after the risks and benefits have been discussed with the child's parents in the preanesthetic consultation.

Oral aspirin challenges in patients with a history of intolerance to single non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Summary Background In the clinical practice patients with a history of acute urticaria induced by a single non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and seeking for safe alternative drugs generally undergo tolerance tests with alternative NSAIDs that have little or no cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) enzyme inhibitory activity. This practice does not allow for the detection of single NSAID reactors and may lead to unnecessary avoidance of many potentially useful NSAIDs.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate aspirin challenge as a means to distinguish single from multiple NSAID intolerance in patients with a clinical history of acute urticaria induced by a single NSAID. Methods One hundred and seventeen otherwise normal subjects with a history of acute urticaria following the ingestion of a single NSAID (pyrazolones (n=58), nimesulide (n=17), propionic acid derivatives (n=13), aryl acetic acid derivatives (n=14), acetaminophen (n=9), piroxicam (n=5), and indometacin (n=1)) underwent single-blind placebo-controlled oral challenges with aspirin. Aspirin-intolerant subjects underwent further tolerance tests drugs exerting little or no inhibitory activity on COX-1 enzyme (including paracetamol, nimesulide, rofecoxib, tramadol, and floctafenine). Results Aspirin induced urticaria in 28/117 (24%) patients. Five out of 28 (18%) aspirin reactors did not tolerate alternative NSAID on subsequent oral challenges. Conclusion In subjects with a history of urticaria induced by a single NSAID (other than aspirin) the diagnostic workup should start with an aspirin challenge in order to detect single/multiple NSAID reactors.

Aspirin and NSAID sensitivity

Aspirin and the older nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that block cyclo-oxygenase-1 (COX-1) induce asthma attacks in patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease and urticaria in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria. Weak inhibitors of COX-1, such as acetaminophen and salsalate, crossreact also but only with high doses of the drugs. Partial inhibitors of both COX-1 and COX-2, such as nimesulide and meloxicam, also cross-react but only at high drug doses. COX-2 inhibitors do not cross-react; however, all NSAIDs, including the selective COX-2 inhibitors, can sensitize patients and induce urticaria or anaphylaxis on next exposure to the drug.

Hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in childhood

Although largely investigated in adults, the issue of hypersensitivity to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in childhood is unsettled due to lack of sufficient data. The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical syndromes of hypersensitivity to NSAIDs in children and adolescents. We performed a review of relevant papers on cutaneous and respiratory adverse reactions triggered by NSAIDs in pediatric patients, and a recount of our own experience in 43 well-characterized NSAID-sensitive children with cutaneous reactions who were submitted to controlled oral challenges with NSAIDs and the new inhibitors of the enzyme isoform cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Although it has been suggested that allergic and pseudoallergic reactions to NSAIDs in children occur rarely, their prevalence remains largely unknown due to the scarcity of studies. About 23% of NSAID-sensitive patients seen in our institutions are young patients aged 8-18 yr who more frequently develop facial angioedema as their main clinical manifestation. Most patients are atopic and show reactions to more than one drug (cross-reactors). Drugs that inhibit COX-2 with higher specificity than classic NSAIDs are better tolerated in young NSAID-hypersensitive patients.

Intolerance to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs might precede by years the onset of chronic urticaria

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have found that most otherwise normal subjects with a history of acute urticaria induced by several nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) show a wheal-and-flare reaction on intradermal injection of autologous serum. This phenomenon has been previously observed in patients with chronic urticaria (CU) and suggests a possible common background in CU and NSAID-induced urticaria. A relationship between these 2 conditions is further suggested by the fact that up to 30% of patients with CU have a worsening of their skin disorders after the ingestion of chemically unrelated NSAIDs.

OBJECTIVE

I sought to assess whether otherwise normal subjects with multiple or single NSAID intolerance show a propensity to have CU.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty otherwise normal patients with an unequivocal history of acute urticaria induced by NSAIDs seen during the last 10 years were studied. On the basis of both clinical history and oral challenge tests with at least 2 alternative NSAIDs, the patients were classified as having single or multiple NSAID intolerance. All the patients were re-evaluated within the end of 2002, 1 to 10 years after the first visit, to assess the onset of CU. One hundred allergic adults without a history of CU and of drug allergy followed up for 1 to 10 years were used as control subjects.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-nine and 121 patients were finally considered as having single or multiple NSAID intolerance, respectively. At the follow-up visit, 93 (33%) of 280 patients had CU. The prevalence of CU was very similar in subjects with single or multiple NSAID intolerance (48/159 [30%] vs 45/121 [37%], respectively; P = not significant). Only 1 (1%) of 100 atopic control subjects had CU during the follow-up period (P <.001). Among single NSAID reactors, patients who had CU had a significantly higher prevalence of intolerance to aspirin than those who did not have CU (36/48 [75%] vs 41/111 [37%], P <.001), whereas the latter had a markedly higher prevalence of intolerance to pyrazolone drugs (52/111 [47%] vs 10/48 [21%], P <.01). Altogether, only 12 (15%) of 82 patients intolerant to drugs other than aspirin versus 36 (47%) of 77 aspirin reactors had CU (P <.001).

CONCLUSION

NSAID intolerance might precede the onset of CU by years. Both multiple and single NSAID reactors with a history of aspirin-induced urticaria seem at higher risk for CU than patients with a history of single intolerance to NSAIDs other than aspirin.

Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions to aspirin and other NSAIDs

Aspirin and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may cause anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reactions. Constitutively-expressed cyclooxygenase (COX-1) inhibition is likely to be responsible for the cross-reactions and side effects associated with these drugs, as well as the anaphylactoid reactions sometimes seen in aspirin-sensitive respiratory disease. Though anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions may be clinically indistinguishable, they involve different mechanisms. Anaphylactic reactions are due to immediate hypersensitivity involving cross-linking of drug-specific IgE. Regardless of COX selectivity pattern, NSAIDs may function as haptens capable of inducing allergic sensitization. Unlike anaphylaxis, anaphylactoid reactions are most likely related to inhibition of COX-l by NSAIDS. Thus, an anaphylactoid reaction caused by a particular COX-1 inhibiting NSAID will occur with a chemically unrelated NSAID which also inhibits COX-1 enzymes. Selective COX-2 inhibitors appear to be safe in patients with a history of NSAID-related anaphylactoid reactions but can function as haptens, with resulting sensitization and anaphylaxis upon next exposure. This article will discuss the mechanisms, prevalence and population-based studies of anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions caused by aspirin and NSAIDs. The evaluation and management of patients suspected of having experienced an anaphylactic or anaphylactoid reaction to aspirin or other NSAIDs will also be reviewed.