Diagnosis of drug allergy: a current view of the problem
T.N. Myasnikova, T.S. Romanova, L.G. Khludova, T.V. Latysheva

“National Research Center — Institute of Immunology” Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia, Moscow

Doctors of various specializations examine the patients with a burdened pharmacological history. The treatment of such patients requires an individual approach, taking into account the drug hypersensitivity. Such patients should be examined by allergist-immunologist to identify the offending drugs and select the alternative medications. Doctors of other specialties suggest that there are tests in vitro, which can be used by the allergist for accurate identification of the offending drug. But this is an erroneous opinion. Unfortunately, today there is no completely reliable method for diagnosis of drug allergy. This is due to heterogenous mechanisms of drug hypersensitivity, a wide range of medicines, a reaction on metabolites, individual features. The article describes a set of diagnostic methods, used for testing the drug hypersensitivity. The authors emphasize that in vivo testing is associated with certain risks of adverse reactions, and in vitro tests are safe, but unfortunately, they are not informative, which complicates the examination of patients with drug allergy.

Key words: drug allergy, drug hypersensitivity, diagnosis, in vitro tests, in vivo tests, skin testing, graded challenge test.
For citation: Myasnikova T.N., Romanova T.S., Khludova L.G., Latysheva T.V. Diagnosis of drug allergy: a current view of the problem // RMJ. 2018. № 8(I). P. 28–32.