[Adverse effect of iodine contrast media]

We performed a survey on the iodide test and its adverse effects on a series of 829 DIP patients who had taken the test at our clinic between November, 1984 and August, 1985. Adverse effects were seen in four out of nineteen positive cases of the iodide test. Among the negative 810 cases, 79 were found to present with adverse effects though not statistically significant. Twenty-six out of 131 cases of positive past history of allergy showed a positive reaction whereas 55 out of 698 negative cases showed adverse effects, with a statistical significance at p less than 0.01. The adverse reaction occurred immediately after injection in the majority of cases and in 85%, the reaction was seen after injection of half of the drug. Symptoms also appeared thirty minutes after injection in some cases. Immunological evaluation of the allergy was done in fifteen positive cases. Four cases showed an increase in peripheral eosinophils, three cases showed increased IgE(RIST) and three cases manifested with a decreased CH 50. Urografin-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis (DLST) was positive in six cases. Four cases showed abnormality in more than two tested parameters, and three cases showed complete normal values in all tests. The adverse effects due to contrast medium are considered to occur not as one type or allergic reaction, but to involve other factors as delayed-type reaction which was also seen in 40% of the patients. Close observation of patients after examination with contrast medium is thus mandatory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)