Human Allergy Catalog - Greer

Children with nephrotic syndrome require careful consideration and probably shouldnot receive injection therapy because a variety of seemingly unrelated events, such asimmunization, can cause an exacerbation of their nephrotic disease.Other contraindications include:EXTREME SENSITIVITY TO CAT - Determined from previous anaphylaxis followingskin testing.AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE - Individuals with autoimmune disease may be at risk, dueto the possibility of routine immunizations exacerbating symptoms of the underlyingdisease.WARNINGSPlease also refer to warning box at beginning of package insert.Concentrated extracts must be diluted with sterile diluent prior to first use ona patient for immunotherapy or intradermal testing. All concentrates of allergenicextracts are manufactured to assure high potency and therefore have the ability duringskin testing and immunotherapy to cause serious local and systemic reactions includingdeath in sensitive patients. Most reactions occur within 20 minutes after injection, (18)but may occur later. (19) To minimize the potential for local or systemic reactions, therelative sensitivity of the patient must be assessed from the allergic history and fromclinical observations. Patients should be informed of this and the precautions should bediscussed prior to immunotherapy (see PRECAUTIONS below).Standardized Cat Hair Extract labeled in Bioequivalent Allergy Units is notinterchangeable with Standardized Cat Pelt Extract or with cat extracts labeled inAllergy Units. Patient doses stated or calculated in Allergy Units should not beconfused with Bioequivalent Allergy Units because the BAU is ten times as potent asthe Allergy Unit used for cat extracts before September 1992.The dosage must be reduced when starting a patient on fresh Standardized Cat HairExtract or when transferring a patient from any other cat extract product to StandardizedCat Hair Extract (even though the labeled strength of the old and new vials may be thesame). This reduction in dosage may be necessary due to a loss of extract potencyduring storage in the physician's office. The cat allergen content of old and newextracts must be compared and adjusted by dosage reduction and/or dilutionbefore the new extract is administered. The amount of new extract given should notexceed 25% of the last dose given from the old vial, assuming both extracts containcomparable amounts of cat allergens. Any evidence of a local or generalized reactionrequires a reduction in dosage during the initial stages of immunotherapy, as well asduring maintenance therapy.Allergenic extracts should be temporarily withheld from patients or the dose adjusteddownward if any of the following conditions exist:(1) severe symptoms of rhinitis and/or asthma(2) infection or flu accompanied by fever(3) exposure to excessive amounts of clinically relevant allergen prior to a scheduledinjection.