Immunology and allergy clinics of North America
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Lung disease associated with marked peripheral blood eosinophilia is unusual and nearly always clinically significant. Once recognized, it is generally easy to manage, albeit with long-term systemic corticosteroids. A failure to respond to oral steroids in the context of good compliance suggests a malignant cause for the eosinophilia. An important development is the introduction of antieosinophil therapies, particularly those directed against the interleukin 5 pathway, which is hoped to provide benefit in the full spectrum of eosinophilic lung disease as well as asthma, reducing the burden of side effects and resultant comorbidities.
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Immunol Allergy Clin North Am · May 2015
ReviewAnaphylaxis to chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies.
Hypersensitivity reactions are increasingly prevalent, although underrecognized and underreported. Platins induce immunoglobulin E-mediated sensitization; taxenes and some monoclonal antibodies can induce reactions at first exposure. Severe hypersensitivity can preclude first-line therapy. ⋯ Newer tests are promising diagnostic tools to help identify patients at risk before first exposure. Safe management includes rapid drug desensitization. This review provides information regarding the scope of hypersensitivity and anaphylactic reactions induced by chemotherapy and biological drugs, as well as diagnosis, management, and treatment options.
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Immunol Allergy Clin North Am · May 2015
ReviewFatal and near-fatal anaphylaxis: factors that can worsen or contribute to fatal outcomes.
Anaphylaxis implies a risk of death even in patients whose prior episodes have been considered mild and managed easily. Anaphylaxis occurs in all age groups, from infants to the elderly, but most deaths occur in adults. Factors or circumstances associated with near-fatal or fatal anaphylaxis are reviewed from the following 10 perspectives: accidents and mishaps, adulterated products, age, allergens, atopy, comorbidities, Munchausen syndrome or contrived anaphylaxis, patient factors, route of administration, and treatment-related issues. There are no absolute contraindications to self-injectable epinephrine, and epinephrine can be administered for anaphylaxis to elderly patients or to those patients receiving beta-adrenergic blockers.
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Immunol Allergy Clin North Am · May 2015
ReviewAnaphylaxis to the carbohydrate side chain alpha-gal.
In 2007, the monoclonal antibody cetuximab caused severe hypersensitivity reactions during the first infusion in a region of the southeastern United States. Investigation of pretreatment sera established that they contained immunoglobulin (Ig) E against the oligosaccharide galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), which is present on the Fab of cetuximab. ⋯ These IgE antibodies are also associated with delayed anaphylaxis to red meat (ie, to meat or organs of animals that carry this oligosaccharide). Evidence shows that the primary cause of these IgE antibodies is bites from the tick Amblyomma americanum or its larvae.
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Drug-induced anaphylaxis is a common cause of anaphylaxis and a leading cause of fatal anaphylaxis. Antibiotics, radiocontrast, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly implicated drugs. ⋯ Nonionic contrast agents cause anaphylaxis less frequently than ionic contrast, and immunoglobulin E-mediated mechanisms may have a role in some of these reactions. Skin testing with radiocontrast may have a role in evaluating patients with anaphylaxis to nonionic contrast.