PMID- 15228373
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20040819
LR  - 20230823
IS  - 1083-4087 (Print)
IS  - 1944-706X (Electronic)
IS  - 1083-4087 (Linking)
VI  - 10
IP  - 3
DP  - 2004 May-Jun
TI  - Identification of allergic disease among users of antihistamines.
PG  - 234-8
LID - 10.18553/jmcp.2004.10.3.234
AB  - OBJECTIVE: Patients exhibit a multitude of symptoms that may or may not be 
      allergy related. In this study, we examined the consistency between results 
      obtained by a multiallergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) test and frequent use 
      (3 months or more) of prescribed antihistamines. METHODS: A retrospective 
      examination of 1-year prescription claims records from January 1, 2000, through 
      December 31, 2000, for 4,643 patients enrolled in a 115,000-member managed care 
      organization who received 1 or more prescriptions for an oral antihistamine 
      (loratadine, fexofenadine, or cetirizine). RESULTS: A total of 1,343 health plan 
      enrollees who received an oral antihistamine prescription were continuously 
      enrolled during the year 2000 and diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. Of these 
      patients, 246 (18%) consented to a multiallergen- specific IgE test, and 159 
      patients (64.6%) had a negative IgE test result. A total of 163 patients were 
      classified as frequent antihistamine users (3 or more antihistamine 
      prescriptions), and 101 (62.0%) of these patients had negative test results. Our 
      study demonstrated no relation between prescribed antihistamine use and patient 
      sensitization status. CONCLUSIONS: Only 35.4% of the patients who used an oral 
      antihistamine and were diagnosed with an allergy tested positive to the 
      multiallergen-specific IgE test, and only 38% of the patients with records of 
      frequent antihistamine use and who were diagnosed as allergic tested positive to 
      the multiallergen-specific IgE test. Apparently, there are patients taking 
      medications prescribed for allergic rhinitis who are, in fact, not allergic, 
      which is both wasteful economically and not indicated medically. Additional 
      evaluation may be advisable to support the clinical diagnosis of allergy for 
      patients presenting with allergy-like symptoms who use antihistamines frequently.
FAU - Szeinbach, Sheryl L
AU  - Szeinbach SL
AD  - Department of Pharmacy Practice and Administration, College of Pharmacy, Ohio 
      State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1291, USA. szeinbach.1@osu.edu
FAU - Williams, Brock
AU  - Williams B
FAU - Muntendam, Pieter
AU  - Muntendam P
FAU - O'Connor, Richard D
AU  - O'Connor RD
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PL  - United States
TA  - J Manag Care Pharm
JT  - Journal of managed care pharmacy : JMCP
JID - 9605854
RN  - 0 (Histamine H1 Antagonists)
RN  - 37341-29-0 (Immunoglobulin E)
SB  - IM
CIN - J Manag Care Pharm. 2004 May-Jun;10(3):267; 269-70. PMID: 15228380
MH  - Adult
MH  - Drug Utilization Review
MH  - Female
MH  - Health Services Research
MH  - Histamine H1 Antagonists/*therapeutic use
MH  - Humans
MH  - Hypersensitivity/*diagnosis/drug therapy
MH  - Immunoglobulin E
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Retrospective Studies
MH  - United States
PMC - PMC10437320
EDAT- 2004/07/02 05:00
MHDA- 2004/08/20 05:00
PMCR- 2004/05/01
CRDT- 2004/07/02 05:00
PHST- 2004/07/02 05:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2004/08/20 05:00 [medline]
PHST- 2004/07/02 05:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2004/05/01 00:00 [pmc-release]
AID - 2004(10)3: 234-238 [pii]
AID - 10.18553/jmcp.2004.10.3.234 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Manag Care Pharm. 2004 May-Jun;10(3):234-8. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2004.10.3.234.