Happy July 4th! Little known fact: In 1776, Thomas Paine performed the first commonsensitization

Before he discovered Penicillin in 1928, some might say he was Alexander "Phlegming" #NationalPenicillinAllergyDay

Happy Halloween to all immunoghouls and immunogoblins!

1/7 Older adults have increased risks of adverse drug reactions and negative effects associated with alternative and broad-spectrum antibiotic use. The USDAR group is reporting on drug allergy evaluations in adults 65 years and up. Kimberly Blumenthal, MD, MSc authors.elsevier.com/a/1hep53rqO2iO…

2/7 USDAR is a multi-center cohort comprised of patients who receive drug allergy evaluations across US sites: Mass General Brigham MassGeneral Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center @vumc_cdsi_rsch, UC San Francisco, @docalergias Mayo Clinic and Allison Ramsey Rochester Regional Health.

3/7 New USDAR sites include Stanford Anne Liu Stanford Medicine and UTSW UTSW Media Relations. usdar.massgeneral.org

(4/7) 406 adults 65 years received 501 drug allergy assessments. The 5 most common drug classes evaluated were antibiotic allergies.

5/7 Of 296 penicillin allergy assessments in older adults, 286 (97%) were disproved. All 80 penicillin allergy labels in USDAR men aged ≥65 years were disproved. Other antibiotic allergy assessments included sulfonamides (41, 88% disproved) and cephalosporins (20, 95% disproved)

(6/7) Overall, 22 (4.6%) drug evaluation outcomes led to the retention of allergy labels (positive skin testing, immediate in-office symptoms, or delayed symptoms).

(7/7) Only 2 patients required single doses of epinephrine, and zero patients required transfer from an allergy clinic to a higher level of care. Aleena Banerji, MD @kdonelan399 @jaggersjordon Catherine Ahola

2/7 USDAR is a multi-center cohort comprised of patients who receive drug allergy evaluations across US sites: Mass General Brigham MassGeneral Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center @vumc_cdsi_rsch, UC San Francisco, @docalergias Mayo Clinic and Allison Ramsey Rochester Regional Health.

3/7 New sites include Stanford Anne Liu Stanford Medicine and UTSW UTSW Media Relations. usdar.massgeneral.org

4/7 406 adults 65 years received 501 drug allergy assessments. The 5 most common drug classes evaluated were antibiotic allergies.

5/7 Of 296 penicillin allergy assessments in older adults, 286 (97%) were disproved. All 80 penicillin allergy labels in USDAR men aged ≥65 years were disproved. Other antibiotic allergy assessments included sulfonamides (41, 88% disproved) and cephalosporins (20, 95% disproved)

6/7 Overall, 22 (4.6%) drug evaluation outcomes led to the retention of allergy labels (positive skin testing, immediate in-office symptoms, or delayed symptoms).

7/7 Only 2 patients required single doses of epinephrine, and zero patients required transfer from an allergy clinic to a higher level of care. Aleena Banerji, MD @kdonelan399 @jaggersjordon Catherine Ahola Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology