Drug hypersensitivity in students from São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Drug hypersensitivity is responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity, and increased health costs. However, epidemiological data on drug hypersensitivity in general or specific populations are scarce.METHODS:We performed a cross-sectional survey of 1015 university students, using a self-reported questionnaire.RESULTS:The prevalence of self-reported drug hypersensitivity was 12,11% (123/1015). The most frequently implicated drugs were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (45,9%) and beta-lactam and sulfonamide antibiotics (25,40%). The majority of the patients reported dermatological manifestations (99), followed by respiratory (40), digestive (23) and other (19). Forty-five patients had an immediate type reaction, and 76,72% (89) had the drug by oral route.CONCLUSION:The results showed that drug hypersensitivity is highly prevalent in university students, and that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and antibiotics (beta-lactams and sulfonamide) are the most frequently concerned drugs.

Respiratory hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs in Europe: the global allergy and asthma network (GA2LEN) survey

“…In the study from Portugal, 1.9% of subjects declared hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs (with different clinical patterns), but only 0.2% presented dyspnea and 0.3% reported symptoms from the upper respiratory tract . The prevalence of self‐reported drug reactions among Brazilian students was as high as 12%, and NSAIDs were responsible for almost half of these reactions . In this study, respiratory symptoms after the intake of NSAIDs were reported by 2.3% of students, a prevalence very similar to that in our survey.…”

“…In most previous studies, the prevalence of dyspnea induced by NSAIDs was assessed in patients with asthma, rhinosinusitis, and/or nasal polyps, and those studies which assessed such prevalence in general population were performed only in a single country . In the study from Portugal, 1.9% of subjects declared hypersensitivity reactions to NSAIDs (with different clinical patterns), but only 0.2% presented dyspnea and 0.3% reported symptoms from the upper respiratory tract .…”

“…Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most frequently consumed drugs, and hypersensitivity to NSAIDs has been reported to be the most prevalent or second only to antibiotics . According to the recent classification, five subtypes of NSAID hypersensitivity can be distinguished of which only the first type (NSAID‐exacerbated respiratory disease; NERD) is manifested by dyspnea, resulting from acute bronchial obstruction .…”

Prevalence of atopy and allergic rhinitis in patients with adult non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

“…The majority of these patients had antibiotic hypersensitivity, especially to penicillin and cephalosporin. It has been previously shown that DHS was present in 7%-12% of the general population (31,32). Data on DHS in BR patients are not available.…”

Self-report prevalence and associated factors to drug hypersensitivity in Mexican young adults

“…Determining its prevalence in the population represents a real challenge, since the majority of the research related to this problem, have been carried out in the hospital environment. Results from previous studies, obtained through questionnaires, show that drug hypersensitivity range from 5% to 25% of the population studied [ 2 3 4 5 6 7 ].…”