Socio-demographic, clinical properties and atopic diseases in drug allergy patients

Our aim in this study was to reveal the socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of comorbid disease, the reaction with drugs, the clinical findings and family histories of the patients that have admitted to our polyclinic because of the presence or suspicion of drug allergy. This study was carried out by applying the "Evaluation of Drug Allergy" surveys on 219 outpatients, who have admitted to Celal Bayar University Hospital Adult Allergy-Immunology polyclinic of the Department of Internal Medicine between 2010-2012 by presence or suspicion of drug allergy. The parameters such as socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of an additional disease history, the presence of comorbid allergic disease, the presence of a family history on drug allergy, the reacting drugs, and frequency and nature of the clinical findings were investigated with surveyed patients. NCSS (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2007 & PASS (Power Analysis and Sample Size) 2008 Statistical Software (Utah, USA) was used for statistical analysis in the evaluation of the findings of the study. In addition to the descriptive statistical methods (Mean, Standard deviation, Median, Proportion), the Fisher's Exact Chi-Square test, Yates Continuity Correction test and Pearson's Chi-Square test was used in evaluating the research data to compare the qualitative data. In our study, 55 patients (25.1%) were male and 164 (74.9%) were female. The ages of our patients were between 17-68 years old and the mean age was 39.32±11.66. 72.1% of our patients were between the ages of 31-60. We have found that 108 (49.3%) of our patients were housewife. Among the other patients admitted most 33 people (15.1%) were selfemployed and 29 people (13.2%) were civil servants. In terms of the educational status of our patients, we have found that 117 (53.4%) of them were graduated from primary school, 58 (26.5%) from high school, and 39 (17.8%) from university, and 5 were illiterate. In the analysis of the distributions of the drug groups responsible for the drug allergy of the patients admitted to our polyclinic; it has been found that 138 (63%) of patients developed a reaction to NSAIDs, 65 (29.7%) to beta-lactam antibiotics, 9 (4.1%) to quinolone group antibiotics, and 8 (3.7%) to local anesthetics. According to the distribution of complaints and symptoms observed in patients in our study; it has been identified that there were 65.2% skin symptoms, 13.6% upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms, 4.2% gastrointestinal symptoms, 8.4% cardiovascular system symptoms, 8.6% psychological symptoms. And it was found that 195 (89%) of the patients had pruritus, 173 (79%) had urticaria, 134 (61.2%) had angioedema, 102 (46.6%) had shortness of breath, and 61 (27.9%) had macular rash. In terms of the drug allergy reaction type of patients; it was found that 213 (97.3%) patients had Type 1, and 5 (2.3%) patients had Type 4 reactions. And no statistically significant relationship was found for the family history of drug allergy, in the evaluation of the correlation between the presence of family history of drug allergy and the suspicion or presence of drug allergy. Also no statistically significant relationship was found for the presence of allergic disease, in the evaluation of the correlation between the presence of allergic diseases diagnosed in patients prior to admission to the clinic and the suspicion or presence of drug allergy.