Kwah JH, Burn MS, Liao J, Cate J, Son M. Outpatient penicillin allergy evaluation during pregnancy and associated clinical outcomes.
Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM 2022;
4:100674. [PMID:
35691578 DOI:
10.1016/j.ajogmf.2022.100674]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Beta-lactam antibiotics are often clinically indicated in the peripartum period, posing a challenge for pregnant women who report a penicillin allergy. Allergy verification testing is rarely performed during pregnancy even though most women do not have a true allergy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a hospital-wide multidisciplinary program introduced in August 2020 to identify, refer, evaluate, and test pregnant women with unverified penicillin allergies, and assess its association with maternal and neonatal outcomes.
STUDY DESIGN
We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a large academic hospital of all pregnant women with a penicillin allergy documented in the electronic medical record who delivered from September 2020 to October 2021. Data were abstracted by chart review. Women referred for penicillin allergy evaluation were compared to those who were not. Maternal outcomes were alternative antibiotic (clindamycin or vancomycin) use, postpartum infection, and maternal length of postpartum hospital stay. Neonatal outcomes were intensive care unit admission, postnatal blood draw, antibiotic treatment, and birth hospitalization length of hospital stay. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed.
RESULTS
Of 689 women with a documented penicillin allergy, 232 (33.7%) were referred for allergy evaluation during the study period. Of those referred, 175 (75.4%) underwent allergy consultation and 167 (95.4%) of them were considered appropriate for allergy verification testing. 117 (70.1%) underwent skin testing with or without graded oral amoxicillin drug challenge, and all but one (99.1%) were found to be penicillin tolerant. Five additional women were de-labeled of their penicillin allergy based on history and pharmacy confirmation of penicillin tolerance subsequent to index reaction. Referred women had a 62% lower likelihood of receiving an alternative antibiotic than those who were not referred, and this significance persisted even after adjusting for potential confounders (aOR 0.49, 95% CI 0.27-0.89). Other maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes were less frequent in those referred, but these associations did not reach statistical significance.
CONCLUSION
This study documents the feasibility, safety, and clinical benefit of an outpatient penicillin allergy referral program for pregnant women. Referred patients were significantly less likely to receive alternative antibiotics, however, more patients are needed to assess whether there are additional clinical benefits.
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