The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice
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J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract · Apr 2020
A Streamlined Approach to Optimize Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis in the Setting of Penicillin Allergy Labels.
Patients with penicillin allergy labels often receive alternative antibiotics for perioperative prophylaxis, as opposed to first-line cephalosporins (cefazolin/cefuroxime). Provider misconceptions about the risk of cross-reactivity likely drive this prescribing behavior, which is problematic because of its association with increased risk of surgical-site infections. ⋯ Using a streamlined algorithm, we were able to significantly reduce the use of second-line antibiotics in penicillin-allergic surgical patients without severe adverse reactions.