Algorithm to identify patients at low risk
for penicillin/beta-lactam allergy
Did this patient have any symptoms of severe systemic or cutaneous adverse drug reaction?
These include ANY of the following:
Mucous membrane involvement
Skin desquamation
Vasculitis
Arthritis/arthralgia
Lymphadenopathy
Ongoing, unexplained fever
Evidence of kidney or liver involvement
Generalized pustulosis
Yes they did have some of these symptoms
No they did not
Clinical pearls:
The photos below demonstrate some common features of severe systemic or cutaneous adverse drug reactions. Review of these photos with your patient may be instructive.