Quality of Life in Patients with Allergic Reactions to Medications: Influence of a Drug Allergy Evaluation

Abstract

Background: Suspicion of allergic drug reaction can cause important disturbances in the patient's life.

Objective: We evaluated in a prospective multicenter study the quality of life of patients who suffered a possible allergic drug reaction, and analyzed the effect of a drug allergy evaluation.

Methods: Patients (>18 years old) answered the specific questionnaire twice: before the drug allergy evaluation, and 1 month after it was completed. Statistics were performed using STATA.

Results: A total of 360 patients (240, 66.6% female; mean age, 45.4 years; standard deviation [SD], 15.6 years) completed the first questionnaire. After the evaluation, 150 of 346 patients (43.4%) were diagnosed as allergic to the drug (115 of 150 immediate; 35 of 150 delayed) and 196 of 346 patients (56.6%) as nonallergic. The mean value of the first questionnaire was 32.14 (SD, 11.84); patients with anaphylaxis, nonanaphylactic immediate reaction, with more than 1 drug reaction, or a chronic osteoarticular disease, had a statistically significant higher score in Q0 (worse quality of life). After the allergy study, the mean of the second questionnaire was 27.27 (SD, 9.96), showing a global improvement (P < .001). No statistically significant difference was found between drug allergic and non-drug allergic patients (P = .340); however, being >40 years old (P = .030), having a chronic osteoarticular disease (P = .003) and having more than 1 reaction to drugs (P < .001) were associated with a statistically significant worse quality of life after the evaluation.

Conclusions: Having suffered anaphylaxis, more than 1 reported drug allergy or presenting a musculoskeletal disease are factors that worsen the quality of life. Quality of life improved significantly after completing a drug allergy evaluation.

Keywords: Anaphylaxis; Diagnosis; Drug allergy; Health-related quality of life; Well-being.