ABSTRACT
Summary: Background. International guidelines suggested skin tests with Polyethylene-glycol (PEG) and polysorbate 80 (PS-80), to investigate a possible hypersensitivity to these excipients either to identify subjects at risk of developing allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines, or in patients with suspected IgE mediated hypersensitivity reactions (HR) to the Covid-19 vaccine. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PEG and PS sensitization in patients with a clinical history of HR to drugs containing PEG/PS and in patients with a suspected Covid-19 vaccine immediate HR. Methods. This was a multicenter retrospective study conducted by allergists belonging to 20 Italian medical centers. Skin testing was performed in 531 patients with either a clinical history of suspected hypersensitivity reaction (HR) to drugs containing PEG and/or PS-80 (group 1:362 patient) or a suspected HR to Covid-19 vaccines (group 2: 169 patient), as suggested by the AAIITO/SIAAIC guidelines for the "management of patients at risk of allergic reactions to Covid-19 vaccines" [1]. Results. 10/362 (0.02%) had positive skin test to one or both excipients in group 1, 12/169 (7.1%) in group 2 (p less than 0.01). In group 2 HRs to Covid-19 vaccines were immediate in 10/12 of cases and anaphylaxis occurred in 4/12 of patients. Conclusions. The positivity of skin test with PEG and or PS before vaccination is extremely rare and mostly replaceable by an accurate clinical history. Sensitization to PEG and PS has to be investigated in patients with a previous immediate HR to a Covid-19 vaccine, in particular in patients with anaphylaxis.
ABSTRACT
Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, psychologists played a crucial role in managing the consequences of the spread of the epidemic. Now that, in some respects, the emergency for the protection of human lives is on the decline, another critical area of intervention is emerging: neuropsychological care. In fact, the most recent empirical evidence suggests that COVID-19 infection can lead to important sequelae on the central nervous system as a consequence of the tropism of the virus for the central nervous system and of prolonged periods of severe desaturation hypoxia. These consequences cause impairments in cognitive, emotional and behavioural functions, a clinical picture known by the name of neuroCOVID. This work aims at outlining practical suggestions for the neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 and cognitive-affective-behavioural impairment, as well as to outline the role of the neuropsychologist in the assistance and care process for such clinical population. Copyright © FrancoAngeli