Laboratory diagnosis of drug allergies

The diagnosis of drug allergy is difficult and is usually based on clinical history, skin tests (for some drugs) and, in a few specialised allergy centers, provocation tests. Currently available laboratory tests are of limited interest: they sometimes provide information on the severity of certain clinical conditions, they may suggest an immunopathological mechanism in cases of intra-operative anaphylaxis and, more rarely, they can lead to the identification of the responsible drug. The few available tests, in particular, measurement of specific IgE antibody, in vitro leukocyte histamine and leukotrienes release, have not been sufficiently validated, lacking data on reproducibility and predictive values. The use of flow cytometry for that purpose appears to be a promising technique. (C) 2004 Elsevier SAS. Tons droits reserves.