Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy

Abstract Objective: To assess the safety of penicillin allergy evaluation and testing in obstetric patients utilizing oral drug challenges with or without prior penicillin skin testing (PST) depending on characteristics of the patient’s medication reaction, and to determine whether removal of the...

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Main Authors: Kayla Godfrey, Deanna McDanel, Kelly Percival, Noelle Bowdler, Donna Santillan, Amy Dowden
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X25100338/type/journal_article
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author Kayla Godfrey
Deanna McDanel
Kelly Percival
Noelle Bowdler
Donna Santillan
Amy Dowden
author_facet Kayla Godfrey
Deanna McDanel
Kelly Percival
Noelle Bowdler
Donna Santillan
Amy Dowden
author_sort Kayla Godfrey
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective: To assess the safety of penicillin allergy evaluation and testing in obstetric patients utilizing oral drug challenges with or without prior penicillin skin testing (PST) depending on characteristics of the patient’s medication reaction, and to determine whether removal of the drug allergy label led to an increased use of guideline-recommended antibiotic prophylaxis for group B Streptococcus (GBS). Design and Setting: This retrospective cohort study evaluated obstetric patients cared for at the University of Iowa Health Care who were identified as having a penicillin allergy label between June 1, 2021 and July 1, 2023. Patients: A total of 728 patients were identified to have a penicillin allergy and 299 patients were seen in the drug allergy clinic (DAC) for allergy evaluation. Results: Of patients seen in the DAC for allergy evaluation, 270 (90.3%) had their allergy de-labeled after undergoing an oral drug challenge with or without PST. No patients experienced an IgE-mediated anaphylactic reaction to an oral drug challenge. Patients received penicillin G more often for GBS prophylaxis during labor when they had their drug allergy removed in the DAC compared to those who were not seen for allergy evaluation (87.5% vs 24.5%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study supports the safety of drug allergy testing in obstetric patients. Most patients are appropriate candidates for a direct oral challenge only or PST followed by an oral challenge. Identifying and testing penicillin allergic obstetric patients prior to delivery resulted in an increase in use of first-line guideline-recommended antibiotic prophylaxis for GBS during labor.
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spelling doaj-art-766587b3d1b64f1f8a69a162e007c5372025-08-20T02:09:12ZengCambridge University PressAntimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology2732-494X2025-01-01510.1017/ash.2025.10033Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapyKayla Godfrey0https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9449-9776Deanna McDanel1https://orcid.org/0009-0000-6450-0475Kelly Percival2Noelle Bowdler3Donna Santillan4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6180-9714Amy Dowden5University of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USAUniversity of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA, USAUniversity of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USAUniversity of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAUniversity of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAUniversity of Iowa Health Care, Iowa City, IA, USA University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA Abstract Objective: To assess the safety of penicillin allergy evaluation and testing in obstetric patients utilizing oral drug challenges with or without prior penicillin skin testing (PST) depending on characteristics of the patient’s medication reaction, and to determine whether removal of the drug allergy label led to an increased use of guideline-recommended antibiotic prophylaxis for group B Streptococcus (GBS). Design and Setting: This retrospective cohort study evaluated obstetric patients cared for at the University of Iowa Health Care who were identified as having a penicillin allergy label between June 1, 2021 and July 1, 2023. Patients: A total of 728 patients were identified to have a penicillin allergy and 299 patients were seen in the drug allergy clinic (DAC) for allergy evaluation. Results: Of patients seen in the DAC for allergy evaluation, 270 (90.3%) had their allergy de-labeled after undergoing an oral drug challenge with or without PST. No patients experienced an IgE-mediated anaphylactic reaction to an oral drug challenge. Patients received penicillin G more often for GBS prophylaxis during labor when they had their drug allergy removed in the DAC compared to those who were not seen for allergy evaluation (87.5% vs 24.5%, P < 0.001). Conclusions: This study supports the safety of drug allergy testing in obstetric patients. Most patients are appropriate candidates for a direct oral challenge only or PST followed by an oral challenge. Identifying and testing penicillin allergic obstetric patients prior to delivery resulted in an increase in use of first-line guideline-recommended antibiotic prophylaxis for GBS during labor. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X25100338/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Kayla Godfrey
Deanna McDanel
Kelly Percival
Noelle Bowdler
Donna Santillan
Amy Dowden
Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology
title Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
title_full Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
title_fullStr Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
title_full_unstemmed Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
title_short Screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
title_sort screening for penicillin allergy in obstetric patients to optimize guideline directed therapy
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2732494X25100338/type/journal_article
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