Side effects of desensitization for allergy--a general practice survey.

Following the unexpected death from acute anaphylaxis of a patient receiving house dust mite desensitization, general practitioners throughout Hampshire were asked about their experience of desensitization and its side effects, by means of a questionnaire. From a total of 695 doctors, 452 (65 per cent) returned valid questionnaires. Sixty-three doctors (14 per cent) did not use desensitization at all, while 20 (4 per cent) used more than 20 courses per year, mainly for patients with hay fever. The majority of doctors were modest prescribers of five or less courses per year of any one preparation. Apart from the fatal case which stimulated this enquiry, one other death was reported.