Frequency and Severity of Acute Allergic-Like Reactions to Intravenously Administered Gadolinium-Based Contrast Media in Children. Issue 5 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Forbes-Amrhein, Monica M.; Dillman, Jonathan R.; Trout, Andrew T.; Koch, Bernadette L.; Dickerson, Julie M.; Giordano, Richard M.; Towbin, Alexander J.
• Is Part Of: Investigative radiology. Volume 53:Issue 5(2018:May)
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: gadolinium-based contrast media -- allergic-like reactions -- pediatric -- reactions; Diagnosis, Radioscopic -- Periodicals; Radiology, Medical -- Periodicals; 616.0757
• DOI: 10.1097/RLI.0000000000000444
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-9996

Abstract

Abstract : Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency and severity of acute allergic-like reactions to gadolinium-based contrast media (GBCM) in children before, during, and after the transition from gadopentetate dimeglumine to gadoterate meglumine as our primary clinical GBCM. Materials and Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant retrospective investigation. Allergic-like reactions to GBCM in pediatric patients were retrospectively assessed from January 2009 to January 2017, which included a departmental change of GBCM from gadopentetate dimeglumine to gadoterate meglumine. Allergic-like reactions were identified from departmental and hospital databases. The number of doses of GBCM was obtained from billing data. Allergic-like reaction frequencies for each GBCM were calculated and compared using the chi-squared test. Results: A total of 32, 365 administrations of GBCM occurred during the study period (327 for gadofosveset trisodium; 672 for gadoxetate disodium; 12, 012 for gadoterate meglumine; and 19, 354 for gadopentetate dimeglumine). Allergic-like reactions occurred after 21 (0.06%) administrations. Reaction frequencies were not significantly different among the GBCM (0.3% gadofosveset trisodium; 0% gadoxetate disodium, 0.06% gadoterate meglumine, 0.08% gadopentetate dimeglumine; P > 0.05). Ten (47.6%) reactions were mild, 10 (47.6%) were moderate, and 1 (4.8%) was severe. The overall reaction frequency peaked during the 6-month transition period from gadopentetate dimeglumine to gadoterate meglumine (0.20%), compared with 0.07% pretransition ( P = 0.048) and 0.04% posttransition ( P = 0.0095). Conclusion: Allergic-like reactions to GBCM in children are rare. Gadoterate meglumine has a reaction frequency that does not significantly differ from other GBCMs. During the transition from gadopentetate dimeglumine to gadoterate meglumine, an increase in the frequency of reported allergic-like reactions was observed, likely reflective of the Weber effect.