Impact of Comorbidities on Local Anesthetic Hypersensitivity: A Decade of Clinical Experience

Authors

Mehmet Kılınç, Fatih Çölkesen, Filiz Sadi Aykan, Recep Evcen, Tuğba Önalan, Fatma Arzu Akkuş, Eray Yıldız, Şevket Arslan
  • Mehmet Kılınç (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Batman Training and Research Hospital, Batman, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1117-6872
  • Fatih Çölkesen (Author) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Necmettin Erbakan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Konya, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6595-1267
  • Filiz Sadi Aykan (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health Ankara Gulhane Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8941-5573
  • Recep Evcen (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Training and Research Hospital, Rize, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6124-5816
  • Tuğba Önalan (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Health Sciences University, Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2427-5925
  • Fatma Arzu Akkuş (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health Konya City Hospital, Konya, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0519-7132
  • Eray Yıldız (Author) Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health Kahramanmaras Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9596-1773
  • Şevket Arslan (Author) Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Necmettin Erbakan University, Medical Faculty Hospital, Konya, Türkiye https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0343-0159
https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1806801
Objectives: Clinicians widely utilize local anesthetic (LA) agents in pain management and surgical interventions. Nevertheless, drug hypersensitivity reaction (HR) to their use continue to raise considerable concern among both clinicians and patients. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between local anesthetic hypersensitivity reactions (LA-HRs) and comorbid conditions in patients referred to our clinic.
Methods: Clinical data and test results of patients who were referred to our allergy clinic for evaluation of suspected LA-HR were retrospectively reviewed. Skin tests (ST) and subcutaneous provocation tests (SPT) were performed.
Results: A total of 200 patients were included in the study. The most common reason for referral was a suspected LA-HR (80%), followed by a history of HR to other drugs with a need for LA use during upcoming procedures (20%). Among 160 patients with suspected LA- HR, only 5.6% demonstrated confirmed hypersensitivity by positive ST and SPT. Of the 40 patients with a history of HR to other drugs, only 2.5% tested positive for LA-HR. A history of comorbidity was present in 70% patients. Patients with suspected LA-HR had a significantly higher prevalence of comorbidities compared to those with HR to other drugs. However, none of the patients who tested positive had a history of comorbidity.
Conclusions: Confirmed hypersensitivity risk among patients reporting LA-HR is very low. Although comorbidities were more common among patients reporting LA-HR, none of the patients with confirmed allergy had any comorbidities, underscoring the low confirmed hypersensitivity rate in this population.
Local Anesthetics, Drug Hypersensitivity Reactions, Comorbidity, Skin Tests

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Kılınç M, Çölkesen F, Sadi Aykan F, et al. Impact of Comorbidities on Local Anesthetic Hypersensitivity: A Decade of Clinical Experience. Eur Res J. 2026;12(2):187-198. doi:10.18621/eurj.1806801

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