75% of patients with penicillin allergy have a false positive result.

Almost three out of four patients are diagnosed with an allergy to beta-lactam antibiotics or penicillins are false positives, according to a study conducted by a clinical team led by Dr. Gustavo Molina, a specialist in Allergy Service at Bellwich University Hospital (HUB).

A total of 249 cases of beta-lactam allergy were analyzed from seven public hospitals in Catalan Institute of Health (ICS):

Bellvitge University Hospital, Val d’Hebron University Hospital, Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, Virgen de la Cinta Hospital, Hermans Trias et Pujol University Hospital and Jeanne XXIII University Hospital.

Of the total number of patients examinedin 186 cases (74.3% of the total) The label was removed after allergy research. The analysis involved specialists in allergy, clinical pharmacology and pharmacy from ICS public hospitals, which confirms the results of similar studies.

“False indications of allergies to penicillins and other beta-lactams are not a minor problem, but a public and personal health problem,” says Dr. Gustavo Molina.

Overdiagnosis of drug allergies has several serious circumstances such as the use of more harmful, more expensive and less effective therapeutic alternatives, an increase in surgical wound infections or increased hospitalization time.

Likewise, it is also contributing to the rise of antibiotic resistance in the global context of increasing numbers of multi-resistant bacteria, which pose a growing threat to global public health.

majority false positive results verified The study comes from childhood, even though there is ample evidence that antibiotic allergies typically develop between ages 26 and 54.

“The data shows the need to improve the level of training in allergies and hypersensitivity, so that medical staff improve their skills in identifying reactions and expected side effects of drugs,” says a specialist in the HUB allergy service.