Evaluation of anxiety levels and factors associated with positive test results in patients with drug hypersensitivity.

Abstract

High anxiety has been reported in patients with drug hypersensitivity reaction (DHR); however, its relationship with the test results was not studied previously. We aimed to investigate the association of patient anxiety with the results of drug tests together with the other contributing factors. Sixty-seven patients were included in the study between November 2012 and April 2013, in whom drug tests were performed after clinical evaluation and application of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age was 43.5 ± 12.9 years, and 73.1% of the patients were females. The patient group had significantly higher mean ± SD PSWQ score than 35 control subjects without histories of DHRs and major psychiatric disorders (47.95 ± 14.64 versus 40.22 ± 11.86, p = 0.008). However, the mean ± SD. PSWQ score of the patients with positive drug test results was not significantly different from the patients with negative drug test results (46.06 ± 13.41 versus 50.47 ± 18.02, p = 0.32). Panic attack symptoms were more common in the reactions with positive test results than in the reactions with negative test results (74.0% versus 48.9%, p = 0.01). However, presence of panic attack symptoms [odds ratio (OR): 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.44-3.54; p = 0.67] was not found independently associated with positive test results in the multiple logistic regression model. Patients with DHR have high levels of anxiety; however, this is not related to the results of drug tests. Because panic reaction symptoms may accompany the objective symptoms of DHR, a complete clinical work-up is required before deciding whether the reaction is related to panic or a "true DHR."