INTRODUCTION: Allergy detection is important in surgical patients. Historically, the focus has been on drug allergies. There is increasing focus on non-drug allergy, specifically latex, iodine and elastoplast. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The practice and knowledge of 24 pre-registration house officers was evaluated, with regard to patient allergy. For the second phase of the study, the cohort of 367 consecutive patients presenting to the orthopaedic pre-assessment clinic was prospectively assessed. RESULTS: This prospective study demonstrates that standard history-taking misses a large number (38%) of such allergies. CONCLUSIONS: With regard to allergy detection, we are living a LIE (by ignoring latex, iodine, elastoplast allergy). We suggest junior doctors should employ the mnemonic LIED (latex, iodine, elastoplast and drugs) when taking a medical history.
INTRODUCTION:Allergy detection is important in surgical patients. Historically, the focus has been on drug allergies. There is increasing focus on non-drug allergy, specifically latex, iodine and elastoplast. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The practice and knowledge of 24 pre-registration house officers was evaluated, with regard to patientallergy. For the second phase of the study, the cohort of 367 consecutive patients presenting to the orthopaedic pre-assessment clinic was prospectively assessed. RESULTS: This prospective study demonstrates that standard history-taking misses a large number (38%) of such allergies. CONCLUSIONS: With regard to allergy detection, we are living a LIE (by ignoring latex, iodine, elastoplast allergy). We suggest junior doctors should employ the mnemonic LIED (latex, iodine, elastoplast and drugs) when taking a medical history.
Authors: B Lauren Charous; Carlos Blanco; Susan Tarlo; Robert G Hamilton; Xaver Baur; Donald Beezhold; Gordon Sussman; John W Yunginger Journal: J Allergy Clin Immunol Date: 2002-01 Impact factor: 10.793