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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

Basophil Activation Test for Investigation of IgE-Mediated Mechanisms in Drug Hypersensitivity
Published on: September 16, 2011
Recent developments and highlights in drug hypersensitivity
Cristobalina Mayorga1,2,3, Tahia D Fernandez1, Maria Isabel Montañez1,3
1Allergy Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-IBIMA-ARADyAL, Málaga, Spain.
Abstract:
Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are nowadays the third cause of allergy after rhinitis and asthma with a significant increase in prevalence in both adults and paediatric population with new drugs included as culprit. For this, DHRs represent not only a health problem but also a significant financial burden for affected individuals and health systems. Mislabelling DHRs is showing to be a relevant problem for both, false label of drug allergic and false label of nonallergic. All this reinforces the need to improve accurate diagnostic approaches that allow an appropriate management. Moreover, there is a need for training both, nonallergist stakeholders and patients to improve the reaction identification and therefore decrease the mislabelling. The use of allergy cards has shown to be relevant to avoid the induction of DHRs due to the prescription of wrong medication. Recent developments over the last 2 years and highlights about risk factors, diagnostic approaches, mechanisms involved as well as prevention actions, and management have been reviewed. In these papers, it has been outlined the need for correct diagnosis and de-labelling of patients previously false-reported as allergic, which will improve the management and treatment of patients with DHRs.
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