OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to ascertain the clinical safety of administering carbapenems, namely imipenem/cilastatin and meropenem, in patients with a history of penicillin allergy compared with administering carbapenems in patients with no reported penicillin allergy. Carbapenems are similar in chemical structure to the penicillins and therefore are associated with a risk for allergic cross-hypersensitivity. Carbapenems are commonly avoided in patients with a reported penicillin allergy on the basis of a potential cross-hypersensitivity with penicillin, however, very few studies have been conducted describing the incidence of cross-hypersensitivity between penicillin and carbapenems. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in a total of 266 patients who were administered either imipenem/cilastatin or meropenem. The patients were admitted to the Cleveland Clinic Health System--Eastern Region Hospitals during the years 2001 and 2002. RESULTS: Fifteen of the 163 patients (9.2%) with reported penicillin allergy developed a hypersensitivity reaction to meropenem or imipenem/cilastatin whereas 3.9% of the 103 patients without penicillin allergy developed a hypersensitivity reaction to meropenem or imipenem/cilastatin. These results are not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study and other similar studies, the true incidence of cross-hypersensitivity reactions between penicillin and carbapenems may be lower than previously reported. Carbapenem use may be reasonable for penicillin allergic patients if caution is exercised.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this retrospective study was to ascertain the clinical safety of administering carbapenems, namely imipenem/cilastatin and meropenem, in patients with a history of penicillinallergy compared with administering carbapenems in patients with no reported penicillinallergy. Carbapenems are similar in chemical structure to the penicillins and therefore are associated with a risk for allergic cross-hypersensitivity. Carbapenems are commonly avoided in patients with a reported penicillinallergy on the basis of a potential cross-hypersensitivity with penicillin, however, very few studies have been conducted describing the incidence of cross-hypersensitivity between penicillin and carbapenems. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted in a total of 266 patients who were administered either imipenem/cilastatin or meropenem. The patients were admitted to the Cleveland Clinic Health System--Eastern Region Hospitals during the years 2001 and 2002. RESULTS: Fifteen of the 163 patients (9.2%) with reported penicillinallergy developed a hypersensitivity reaction to meropenem or imipenem/cilastatin whereas 3.9% of the 103 patients without penicillinallergy developed a hypersensitivity reaction to meropenem or imipenem/cilastatin. These results are not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study and other similar studies, the true incidence of cross-hypersensitivity reactions between penicillin and carbapenems may be lower than previously reported. Carbapenem use may be reasonable for penicillinallergicpatients if caution is exercised.
Authors: Krisztina M Papp-Wallace; Andrea Endimiani; Magdalena A Taracila; Robert A Bonomo Journal: Antimicrob Agents Chemother Date: 2011-08-22 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: So Hee Lee; Heung Woo Park; Sae Hoon Kim; Yoon Seok Chang; Sun Sin Kim; Sang Heon Cho; Kyung Up Min; You Young Kim Journal: Korean J Intern Med Date: 2010-06-01 Impact factor: 3.165