A 1-Day, 90-Minute Aspirin Challenge and Desensitization Protocol in Aspirin-Exacerbated Respiratory Disease

Aspirin challenge and desensitization remains the criterion standard in diagnosis and treatment for patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), but the protocols can be time and resource intensive.

To provide evidence that oral aspirin challenge and desensitization can be safely performed in an outpatient setting in 1 day.

Forty-four patients with a confirmed diagnosis of AERD, stable asthma, and baseline FEV₁ value greater than or equal to 70% of predicted completed an oral aspirin challenge and desensitization protocol. The starting dose was 40.5 mg with escalating doses of aspirin (81, 162.5, 325 mg) at 90-minute intervals until symptoms were provoked. Desensitization was defined as tolerating a repeated administration of the provocative aspirin dose and at least 1 subsequent dose, bringing the total aspirin ingested during the in-clinic desensitization to 325 mg or more.

Ninety-three percent of patients completed the challenge and desensitization in 1 day, with an average protocol completion time of 9 hours and 29 minutes. Two patients (4.6%) chose to complete the protocol over 2 days. One patient (2.3%) was discontinued from the protocol because of ongoing abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. No patient required epinephrine, emergency department visit, or hospitalization.

Patients with AERD on a stable asthma regimen and with a baseline FEV₁ value greater than or equal to 70% can be safely desensitized to aspirin using a 90-minute dose escalation protocol, starting at a dose of 40.5 mg, and defining desensitization as tolerance of the repeated provocation dose and at least 1 subsequent aspirin dose, bringing total cumulative daily dose to 325 mg or more. This protocol can routinely be completed in 1 day.