Open AccessParacetamol Allergy: A Case of a 9-Year-Old Female with a History of Atopy
Author(s) -
Ariana Teles,
Francisco RibeiroMourão,
Mariana Branco,
Ana Cristina Pacheco de Araújo,
T. Vieira
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
pediatric allergy, immunology, and pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.4
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 2151-3228
pISSN - 2151-321X
DOI - 10.1089/ped.2021.0027
Subject(s) - medicine , angioedema , atopy , dermatology , allergy , anaphylaxis , itching , rash , drug allergy , immunoglobulin e , hypersensitivity reaction , pediatrics , drug , immunology , pharmacology , antibody
Background: We describe a rare case involving paracetamol, a commonly used drug worldwide. Increased paracetamol consumption increases the risk of adverse drug reactions. Case Presentation: This is a case of a 9-year-old girl who visited the emergency department due to sudden onset sneezing, nasal itching, urticaria, and angioedema after paracetamol ingestion. The diagnostic and etiologic studies revealed an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated hypersensitivity mechanism to paracetamol. Conclusion: Few cases of this phenomenon have been reported in previous literature. As confirmed in this study, a negative skin prick test did not exclude hypersensitivity, and conducting intradermal tests (IDTs) increased diagnostic accuracy. The patient had a positive IDT, confirming the underlying IgE-mediated reaction. The follow-up of a confirmed paracetamol hypersensitivity implies patient education about avoidance of any paracetamol-containing formulation, including combination products and clarification of available alternative drugs. This is likely the first publication documenting IgE-mediated paracetamol allergy in pediatric patients. We intend to underline the clinical benefits of diagnostic confirmation toward suspected drug hypersensitivity reactions in children, a particularly useful topic for pediatricians and pediatric allergists.