Adverse reaction to intravenous fluorescein: evidence for sex difference

Males react adversely more frequently than females to intravenous fluorescein angiography, as shown in a study of 547 patients. Approximately 10% of all cases reacted: 12.8% of the male patients and 7.3% of the female patients had adverse responses. Nausea was most common; vomiting was infrequent, and urticaria rare (1.1%). Ten males as opposed to one female reacted markedly. More serious reactions did not occur during the 7 year testing period. No apparent cause for the increased frequency in the male cases was found.