Differences between self-reported drug hypersensitivity reactions in Lithuanian adults and children

Abstract

Background: Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are the adverse effects of drugs that, when taken at doses generally tolerated by normal subjects, clinically resemble allergy. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of self-reported DHRs in adults and in children and to analyse the risk factors in both groups. Method: Cross-sectional survey of a population from Vilnius and Kaunas regions of Lithuania was made. 35 questions about drug allergy symptoms and also about food and pollen allergy, family history were examined. 5370 patients included in the study. 3222 of them were children (1628 females, median age 8.25 [3-14] years), and 2148 were adults (1247 females, median age 48 [28-63] years) recruited from both adults and children general practices. Results: 7.9% of children and 13.8% of adults declared DHRs for at least one drug (p< 0.001). Female were predominant in adults with DHRs (17.5% vs 8.7%, p< 0.001), but there was no statistical difference for gender in the children. 69.8% of children and 59.5% of adults had skin symptoms like redness, rashes, itch, oedema and these were the most common clinical symptoms in both groups (p=0.012). Anaphylaxis rate was similar in both groups (about 10%). All other symptoms were significantly more frequent in adults: ocular symptoms were detected in 3.1% of children and 9.5% of adults, nasal symptoms in 1.6% of children and 7.4% of adults, respiratory symptoms in 2% of children and 13.5% of adults, gastrointestinal symptoms in 5.1% of children and 13.2% of adults. In our population the frequency of immediate type DHRs was 60.1% in adults and 25.7% in children (p< 0.001). 4.4% of children and 7.2% of adults had antibiotic induced DHRs and it was the most implicated group of drugs (p< 0.001). Food and pollen allergy was declared more frequent in the DHRs group. Statistically significant risk factors for DHRs were age (OR=1.017 in favour of adults, 95%CI 1.013-1.021