Abstract

SOUSA-PINTO, Bernardo; FREITAS, Alberto  and  ARAUJO, Luís. Hospitalizations in children with registry of penicillin allergy. Rev Port Imunoalergologia [online]. 2017, vol.25, n.3, pp.165-171. ISSN 0871-9721.

Background: Overdiagnosis of penicillin allergy is a common problem, and has been associated with higher risk of antibiotic-resistant infections and increased use of hospital resources. Objectives: We aimed to compare hospitalizations occurring in children with and without registry of penicillin allergy concerning patients’ characteristics, length of stay, in-hospital mortality and hospitalizations costs. Methods: We identified episodes occurring in children with registry of penicillin allergy in Portuguese public hospitals (2000-2014), and compared them (in regards to patients’ comorbidities, length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and estimated hospitalizations costs) with a sample of age-, sex-and main diagnosis-matched episodes without that record. Results: Hospitalizations occurring in Portuguese public hospitals of children with registry of penicillin allergy were associated with a significantly higher average length of stay, and with increased burden of comorbidities. Episodes with registry of penicillin allergy were tendentially associated with higher costs than the remainder, although the difference was not significant. Conclusions: Children with reported penicillin allergy present hospitalizations with significantly higher length of stay and comorbidities and slightly higher indirect costs

Keywords : Child; drug allergy; economics; hypersensitivity; hospital; hospitalization; penicillins.

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