Eur J Pharm Sci

Is it time to rethink drug allergy labels in hospitalized patients?

August 28, 2025

Study details: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Szeged, Hungary, across multiple surgical wards to assess the prevalence and risk of self-reported drug allergies in hospitalized adults. Researchers used structured patient interviews and categorized adverse drug reactions as high or low risk based on clinical history.

Results: Among 1,494 patients, 242 (15.9%) reported at least one drug allergy, totaling 384 reported allergy cases. Of the 277 cases assessed for risk, 91% were classified as low risk and potentially eligible for allergy delabeling. Antibiotics were the most frequently implicated drugs, followed by analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents. Skin symptoms were the most common presentation.

Clinical impact: Systematic allergy assessment could significantly reduce unnecessary drug avoidance. Integrating delabeling protocols into hospital workflows, particularly within antibiotic stewardship programs, may improve treatment precision, lower healthcare costs, shorten hospital stays, and help curb antimicrobial resistance.

Source:

Nacsa R, et al. (2025, August 21). Eur J Pharm Sci. Prevalence and Risk Assessment of Drug Allergies in Hospitalized Patients: Potential for Allergy Delabeling. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40848884/