[Cutaneous symptoms and diagnosis of drug hypersensitivity]

At the Department of Allergy, Clinic of Dermatovenerology, School of Medicine University of Zagreb, Clinical Hospital Centre Zagreb, patients with different clinical features of drug allergy during the period of two years (1990-1991) were analyzed. The research included 475 patients with positive history of drug allergy and typical clinical symptoms. The aim of the study was to correlate the clinical diagnosis and history with the results of diagnostic tests in vitro and in some cases in vivo. Positive history and clinical diagnosis were confirmed in 117 of the 475 patients (24.6 percent) by an indirect basophil degranulation test (Shelley's test) and in 59 of the 345 patients (17.1 percent) by means of a lymphoblast transformation test. Patients positive in tests in vitro (or on TTL or on Shelley's test) from unselected 56 patients in vivo (prick test, scratch test) showed positive results. We consider therefore that provocative tests are more precise and exact than in vitro tests in the diagnosis of drug allergy. The most common causes of drug allergy and 17 clinical types are presented.