Patient-related factors impact the implementation of inpatient antibiotic allergy delabeling

The clinical consequences of an antibiotic allergy label are detrimental, impacting health care delivery and patient outcomes. We assessed hospital inpatients with intent to offer free antibiotic allergy labeling (AAL) assessment within a randomized controlled trial.

We sought to determine the feasibility of establishing an adult antibiotic allergy delabeling service in a Western Australian tertiary public hospital.

Inpatients (N = 1503) with AAL were identified through medical records and screened for eligibility to participate in a randomized controlled trial. Those recruited were randomized to undergo assessment by skin testing ± oral challenge, or direct oral challenge. A control group received usual care.

Of the 1503 inpatients with an AAL, 429 (28.5%) were eligible for AAL assessment. The primary excluding factor (1074 [71.5%]) was contraindicated medication use (387 [36.0%]), followed by cognitive impairment (298 [27.9%]). Thirty-nine patients were randomized, of which 20 received allergy testing and 19 usual care; all patients were followed up for 5 years. Older patients were less likely to be eligible (10-year increase: odds ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.77-0.88; P < .0001), whereas surgical patients were more likely to be eligible than medical patients (odds ratio, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.97-3.16; P < .0001).

Antibiotic allergy delabeling in the acute care context is not straightforward. Competing clinical concerns and patient acceptance are some barriers to an inpatient service. Nor is it apparent that inpatient versus outpatient testing is cost saving although select patient groups may benefit. Testing younger people and those with predicted high antibiotic usage will derive maximal individual and health system benefits.