Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC) Vision of Drug Provocation Tests

Abstract

The controlled drug provocation test (DPT) is currently considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of drug allergy. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are an increasingly common presenting complaint in both primary and specialized care. In Spain, ADRs are usually assessed via the allergology department, which rules out immunological mechanisms in up to 90% of cases. An adequate approach to ADRs clearly impacts the costs and efficacy of the treatments prescribed by other specialists. Consequently, if we did not use DPTs, patients would require more expensive, more toxic, and less effective treatments in many cases. In recent years, many new drugs have been developed. This document is intended to be a practical guideline for the management of DPTs according to the vision of the Spanish Allergology Society. The diagnostic work-up begins with a detailed clinical history. Skin tests are only useful for some medications, and in most cases the diagnosis can only be confirmed by DPT. Although cross-reactivity is common, DPTs can confirm the diagnosis and help to find an alternative drug. Programmed individualized patient management based on the type of drug to be studied and the patient's comorbidities usually enables a solution to be found in most cases.