[Adverse drug reactions in area I in Asturias]

The objective of this study was to know the incidence of adverse drug reactions in a group of children sent to our office by their pediatrician under the suspicion of having suffered a drug reaction.

Ninety-eight children were retrospectively studied. Family background, clinical picture, drugs involved, time elapsing between the onset of symptoms and the date of the study, association to other allergic conditions and diagnostic methods used "in vivo" and "in vitro" were evaluated.

Mean age of the patients was 4 years with 53.5% being female and 46.5% male. Positive drug allergy in the family background was found in 22%. The clinical picture showed urticaria and angioedema in 36%, morbiliform eruption in 31%, urticaria in 20%, only angioedema in 9% and other symptoms in 4%. Drugs involved included betalactams (78%), macrolides (17.5%) and others (less than 9%). The mean time elapsed between the onset of symptoms and the date of study was 2 years. There was association to other allergic conditions in 18% (50% in the cases in which the drug allergy was confirmed). RAST to penicillin G and V, amoxicillin and ampicillin was done in 28 cases (betalactams), being negative in all of them. Skin tests were carried out in 21 cases (betalactams), being positive in 19% (66% among the confirmed cases). In all but two cases a controlled provocation test was carried out, being positive only in 8.

1) The presence of adverse drug reactions is confirmed in only 9% of the cases. 2) Confirmation of the clinical history and the provocation test as the most reliable diagnostic methods currently available. 3) Acceptable sensitivity of the skin tests in the case of betalactams. 4) Null sensitivity of the RAST in the case of betalactams.