Contributions of nurse specialists in the allergy and immunology service and patient care.

Specialist nurses have a crucial role within the allergy and immunology specialty that reflects their competence in an increasingly complex area of work and ability to use advanced diagnostic testing and therapeutic modalities. A specialist nurse in Qatar follows the local Hamad Medical Cooperation (HMC) guidelines and the competency published by the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI). Specialist Allergy Nurses Learning domain: Learn and review the written standard operating procedure (SOP) and protocols for all diagnostic and therapeutic allergy procedures, including skin prick testing (inhaled, food, and others), intradermal testing, skin patch testing, penicillin testing, food and drug challenges, different desensitization protocols, and biologics and other medication administration.

Hypopigmentation following intradermal allergy skin testing performed as part of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine allergy evaluation.

Background: Skin prick test (SPT) and intradermal test (IDT) are standard procedures in the allergy practice that are safe when performed. Individuals with a history of allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine can undergo allergy skin testing for polyethylene glycol and polysorbate 80 to determine their eligibility for the same vaccine or a safe alternative. Hypopigmentation is an infrequent adverse effect of corticosteroids, including triamcinolone acetonide, following local and intralesional treatment.

Results of penicillin skin testing in patients with suspected penicillin allergy - the Qatar experience.

Background: Unverified penicillin allergy has been linked to adverse patient events and increased healthcare expenditure owing to the usage of broad-spectrum, expensive antibiotics. Penicillin allergy test is the gold standard to diagnose penicillin allergy; and in this study, we present data from Qatar which have not been published before.

Methods: Patients with a history of penicillin allergy who underwent penicillin allergy testing between January 2015 and December 2020 at the Allergy Division of the Hamad General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed from the division registry.