ANTIBIOTIC HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS IN CYSTIC-FIBROSIS

Objectives: To document the frequency and severity of reactions to ant ibiotics in children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF), to det ermine which drugs and routes of administration are most likely to pro duce reactions and to assess how these reactions limit the choice of a ntibiotics. Methodology: Medical records were reviewed to ascertain th e number and routes of courses of antibiotics and all suspected drug r eactions. Patients and their parents were interviewed about drug react ions. Results: Fifty-three records were suitable for analysis. Eightee n of 53 subjects had experienced a reaction (34%). The intravenous rou te was most allergenic, with 33% of treated patients experiencing a re action and 9.5% of courses provoking a reaction. Piperacillin was the most allergenic antibiotic. Conclusion: Drug hypersensitivity reaction s are common in CF. Piperacillin is particularly allergenic. Whilst ra rely life-threatening, the reactions are unpleasant and can limit our choices for antibiotic treatment of their bronchopneumonia.