Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess antibiotic prescribing habits in patients with documented beta-lactam allergy or intolerance at a 458 bed community teaching hospital.
Study Design: Single center, retrospective chart review.
Methods: : A report utilizing the electronic medical record will be used to identify patients who are at least 18 years of age, have a documented beta-lactam allergy, and have received at least one dose of an antibiotic during the study period. Primary study endpoints include: percent of patients with previously documented beta-lactam allergy and corresponding reaction, percent of patients that received a beta-lactam antibiotic with previously documented mild/moderate, severe, or unknown reaction, and percent of patients with a beta-lactam allergy that received an alternative antibiotic.
Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. Seventy-nine percent of patients had a previously documented beta-lactam allergy and corresponding reaction. Approximately 40% of patients that received a beta-lactam antibiotic despite having a previously documented reaction had a mild/moderate reaction, 8% had a severe reaction, and 13% had an unknown reaction. Thirty-nine patients received an alternative antibiotic during their visit.
Conclusions: The results of this study elucidated the complex nature of imprecise allergy documentation. The prescriber’s decision to use a beta-lactam antibiotic is confounded with the poor documentation of allergies. Beta-lactam antibiotics may be tolerated by patients with a documented allergy.