Suspected allergy to local anaesthetics: follow-up in 135 cases.

BACKGROUND: Local anaesthetics (LA) are generally considered safe with respect to allergy. However, various clinical reactions steadily occur. Even though most reactions are manifestations of reflexes to perceptive stimuli, uncertainty often remains regarding a possible allergic mechanism. This uncertainty later leads to an avoidance of local anaesthesia and unnecessarily painful interventions, resource-consuming general anaesthesia or even the risk of re-exposure to other yet unidentified allergens. In the present study, follow-up procedures at an allergy clinic were analysed to examine the frequency of identified causative agents and pathogenetic mechanisms and evaluate the strength of the diagnostic conclusions. METHOD: The medical records of 135 cases with alleged allergic reactions to LA were reviewed. Diagnoses were based on case histories, skin tests, subcutaneous challenge tests and in vitro IgE analyses. RESULTS: Two events (1.5%) were diagnosed as hypersensitivity to LA, articaine-adrenaline and tetracaine-adrenaline, respectively. Ten reactions (7%) were diagnosed as IgE-mediated allergy to other substances including chlorhexidine, latex, triamcinolone and possibly hexaminolevulinate. As challenge testing was not consistently performed with the culprit LA compound, follow-ups were short of definitely refuting hypersensitivity in 61% of the cases. The reported clinical manifestations were in general diagnostically unspecific, but itch and generalised urticaria were most frequent in test-positive cases. CONCLUSION: Reactions during local anaesthesia are rarely found to be an IgE-mediated LA allergy. Whenever the clinical picture is compatible with allergy, other allergens should also be tested.

[Poisonous mushrooms, mushroom poisons and mushroom poisoning. A review]. / Giftsopper, soppgifter og soppforgiftninger. En oversikt.

Of 1,500 different types of Norwegian mushrooms, 60-100 are considered poisonous. Fatal intoxications occur very infrequently. Lack of knowledge of picking and preparing mushrooms and accidental or deliberate consumption are recognised causes of mushroom poisoning. Delayed onset of symptoms (> 5-6 hrs) indicates serious poisoning, and these patients must be admitted to hospital. Cytotoxic toxins (e.g. amatoxin, orellanin) cause serious damage to the visceral organs (liver, kidney) and require intensive treatment, including hemoperfusion. Neurotoxic toxins may cause dramatic, but less harmful peripheral or central symptoms affecting the peripheral and central nervous systems, including hallucinations. Some mushrooms cause gastroenteritis of low clinical significance within a few hours after consumption. Interaction between mushrooms and alcohol may lead to a disulfiram-like effect. Induced vomiting and activated charcoal are important initial therapeutic measures. The precise history of the patient and the collecting of mushroom remnants, including vomitus, may help to identify the particular mushroom. In Norway, the National Poison Information Centre may be contacted for further advice.