Intradermal tests (i.d.t.) with
penicillin (P) and
penicilloyl-dextran (P-Dex) were performed in 32
penicillin allergic patients and in 37 controls with
allergy to other drugs. The incidence of the positive i.d.t. was much higher in the group of
penicillin allergy of immediate type (17 of 18 patients) than in the group of
penicillin allergy of half-late or late type (4 of 14 cases). I.d.t. with P and P-Dex were concordant in 75% of cases. Among 28 patients with
penicillin allergy tested with both
reagents, i.d.t. positive only to P-Dex were found in two cases. The utilisation of i.d.t. with P-Dex or
penicilloyl-polylysine (PPL) in
penicillin allergy furnishes, therefore, only very modest additional information besides that furnished by i.d.t. performed with plain
penicillin. I.d.t. with
aspiryl-polylysine (APL) were performed in 23 patients with
aspirin allergy/intolerance and in 60 controls with
allergy to other drugs. 70% of the individuals with
aspirin allergy and 27% of the patients with
allergy to other drugs showed positive i.d.t. to APL. Although the specificity of i.d.t. with APL in
aspirin allergy seems lower than that of i.d.t. with P-Dex and PPL in
penicillin allergy, a positive cutaneous test with APL may constitute an important argument for the allergic nature of an
aspirin adverse reaction evoking an allergic mechanism.