“Increased odds of SSI among patients reporting a penicillin allergy in this cohort was entirely due to the use of beta-lactam–alternative perioperative antibiotics,” wrote to Dr. Blumenthal and her colleagues. “Patients with reported penicillin allergy in this study were not only less likely to receive the most effective perioperative antibiotic, they were also less likely to receive prophylaxis in the recommended time frame for optimal tissue concentration.”
While allergy assessments before surgery are currently recommended, there are no specifically outlined methods for these evaluations, which leads many providers to take what has been deemed the safer route of giving patients beta-lactam–alternative antibiotics instead, Dr. Blumenthal and her colleagues suggested.
The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health, and the investigators reported having no relevant conflicts.
SOURCE: Blumenthal K et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Jan 18;66(3):329-36.
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