A Successful Aztreonam Desensitization Protocol

Drug desensitization involves slowly increasing the dose of a medication until an induced tolerance is achieved and is typically performed when therapeutic options are limited and hypersensitivity reactions are a concern. We present a patient with an extensive history of hypersensitivity to multiple antibiotics and symptoms of potential gentamicin toxicity requiring aztreonam desensitization for the treatment of bacteremia. A desensitization protocol was created, and sequential rapid aztreonam desensitization was executed with no hypersensitivity reactions. This protocol provides guidance to other providers who need to use aztreonam where drug hypersensitivity is a concern.