Relationship Between Anaphylaxis and Use of Beta-Blockers and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors: A Systematic...

Beta-blockers (BBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) have been associated with an increased risk and severity of anaphylaxis. However, the evidence supporting these findings is contradictory.

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that assess the influence of BBs and ACEIs on anaphylaxis.

We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the Web of Science for relevant observational studies. We searched for studies where the presence and severity of anaphylaxis were compared between patients taking BBs, ACEIs, both types of drug, or neither type of drug. We performed a meta-analysis using a random-effects model.

A total of 21 studies met the study criteria. Of these, 15 assessed the severity and 9 the incidence of anaphylaxis. The studies brought together 22,313 anaphylaxis episodes for the severity studies and 18,101 anaphylaxis episodes for the studies of new cases of anaphylaxis. BBs and ACEIs increased the severity of anaphylaxis (BBs, odds ratio [OR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25-3.84; ACEIs, OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.12-2.16), but not the presence of new cases of anaphylaxis (BBs, OR 1.40, 95% CI 0.91-2.14; ACEIs, OR 1.38, 95% CI 0.39-4.86). It was not possible to perform an analysis adjusted for cardiovascular diseases, because only 1 study each for BBs and ACEIs, respectively, had adjusted data.

The quality of evidence showing that the use of BBs and ACEI increases the severity of anaphylaxis is low owing to differences in the control of confounders arising from the concomitant presence of cardiovascular diseases.