Delabeling Patients as Beta-Lactam Allergic Requires Record Updates

Electronic allergy records require updating when an allergy service consult (ASC) results in delabeling a patient as allergic to beta-lactam antibiotics to enhance treatments going forward, according to a study published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice.

In this retrospective study conducted at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, researchers studied 26,526 adult patients who had ≥1 beta-lactam allergy in their medical records and an ASC before or during hospitalization. Of these patients, 21,657 had a beta-lactam allergy listed.

Changes in allergy records were suggested by the ASC for 62% of patients. However, 25.1% of allergy records were not updated after an ASC, and 92.2% of patients labeled as having an allergy to penicillin were not evaluated to verify this allergy.  

“ASC recommendations to delabel a patient as beta-lactam allergic must result in updating the allergy record in order to optimize future treatment. Given the low proportion of allergy-labeled patients tested, programs outside formal ASCs should be considered,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosures: Some authors report receiving support from the pharmaceutical industry. See reference for complete disclosure information. 

Reference

Shaw BG, Masic I, Gorgi N, et al. Appropriateness of beta-lactam allergy record updates after an allergy service consult [published online September 4, 2018]. J Pharm Pract doi: 10.1177/0897190018797767