Research progress on desensitization of recurrent hypersen-sitivity reaction to iodinated contrast media.

Abstract

Desensitization therapy for iodinated contrast media (ICM) aims to induce drug tolerance in patients with a history of severe allergic reactions to ICM in a short time. There is no widely accepted consensus on inducing desensitization to avoid severe allergic responses to ICM currently. The clinically successful cases have shown that the prophylactic use of antihistamines and glucocorticoids can increase the desensitization effect; and repeatedly desensitizing and gradually increasing the dose can be conducive to establishing better tolerance to ICM. Most desensitization effects, including stress resistance, can endure 24-48 h. The mechanisms of desensitization therapy remain unclear, the initial dose, administration interval, and dose gradient are largely base on clinical experiences and the reaction of patients. This article reviews the current research progress on the ICM-related allergies, desensitization methods and related mechanisms, as well as the benefits and hazards of desensitization, to provide a reference for diagnosis and desensitization treatment of hypersensitivity to ICM .