Latex allergy, almost unheard of 20 years ago, has dramatically increased due to increased exposure to latex products, both for patients and healthcare personnel. Today, latex allergy is considered by some organizations, such as the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, to be an emerging healthcare epidemic. Studies indicate that up to 17% of healthcare workers and 6% of the general patient population, 18 million Americans, may have antibodies to latex and are at risk for serious latex reactions. Accordingly, hospitals face significant risk with undiagnosed latex-sensitive patients and personnel. Applied's latex-free catheters are designed to help reduce this risk.

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, latex allergy has become a major occupational health problem which has become epidemic in scope among highly exposed healthcare workers¹. A number of studies indicate between 8% and 17% of healthcare workers, numbering well over 100,000 employees, are at risk for latex reaction^2-5.

While prevalent among healthcare workers, latex sensitivity is also widespread throughout the general patient population. In one well-cited study of blood donors, more than 6% had evidence of latex antibodies⁶. Extrapolated to the US population, more than 18 million Americans, may have evidence of latex sensitivity.

Latex allergies have increased due to widespread use of latex products
The use of latex rubber in medical products and barriers has increased over the past several years in response to concerns about infectious diseases such as AIDs and hepatitis. This increased exposure to latex, along with the growing recognition and reporting of latex allergies, is believed to have prompted the sensitivity to latex in the population^7-8.

Allergic reactions have been reported on a wide range of medical products that contain latex, including gloves and intravascular catheters. As a result, in 1997 the FDA issued a mandate that all medical devices containing latex be labeled as such and to carry a caution that latex can cause allergic reactions⁹.

Latex reactions can be life-threatening
Latex reaction can include contact dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis and immediate allergic reaction such as urticaria, asthma, anaphylaxis and death. Over the past few years, the FDA has received more than 1,700 reports of severe allergic reactions, including 16 deaths, related to medical devices containing latex¹⁰.

While some of the risk factors for latex allergies have been well documented, patients with no risk factors may still be allergic to latex. Recent studies in Detroit and in the UK have demonstrated measurable antilatex IgE in blood donors^11-16.

All of this suggests that latex exposure is, indeed, a real problem which needs to be addressed sensibly for both patients and healthcare workers. While much of the focus has been on identifying the risk factors of the worker and patient, much more can be done to eliminate the widespread proliferation of latex products in the hospital and especially the operating room.

Applied's Efforts to Help Hospitals Create a Latex-Free Environment.
Applied has responded to the real problem of latex sensitivity beyond simply adding latex labeling precautions. Applied has eliminated latex from all of its more than 260 products, including its Syntel latex-free vascular catheters.

Applied Medical:Contributing To A Latex-Safe Environment

Bibliography

1. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology web site: http://allergy.mcg.edu/physicians/ltxpos.html

2. Arellano R, et al. Prevalence of latex sensitization among hospital physicians occupationally exposed to latex gloves. Anesthesiology 1992;77:905-8.

3. Iacobelli A, McCullough J, Ownby D. The prevalence of latex allergy in high risk medical personnel (abstract). J Allergy Clin Immunol1993;91:216.

4. Lagier F, Vervloet D, Lhermet I, et al. Latex allergy in nurses. J Allergy Clin Immunol1992;90:319-22.

5. Yassin M, Lierl M, Fischer T, et al. Latex allergy in hospital employees. Ann Allergy 1994;72:245-9.

6. Ownby D.R., H.E. Ownby, J.A. McCullough and A.W. Shafer. "The prevalence of anti-latex IgE antibodies in 1000 volunteer blood donors." (Abstract) J Allergy Clin ImmunoI93(1994):, 382.

7. Kelly K.J., V.P. Kurup, K.E. Reijula and J.N. Fink. "The diagnosis of natural rubber latex allergy." J: Allergy Clin Immunol. 93(1994): 813-6.

8. Kelly K.J., Sussman G, Fink J.N: Stop the Sensitization. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1996;98:857-858.

9. Federal Register, June 24, 1996.

10. FDA Talk Paper. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00826.html

11. Ownby(1994).

12. Merrett T, Merrett J, Kekwick R. Prevalence of latex specific 19B antibodies in the UK (Abstract). Ann Allergy Asthma ImmunoI1995;74:50.

13. Axelsson I, Eriksson M, Wrongsjo K. Anaphylaxis and angioedema due to rubber allergy in children. Acta PaediatrScand 1988;77:314-6.

14. Moneret- Vautin D-A (1993).

15. Charous B. Latex sensitivity in low-risk individuals[Abstract]. Ann Allergy 1994;74:51

16. American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology web site: http://allergy.mcg.edu/physicians/ltxpos.html