IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTITATION OF HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS TO INTRAVENOUS ANAESTHETIC AGENTS

Abstract

It is not possible to distinguish between direct pharmacological effects and immune-mediated hypersensitivity reactions by clinical observation alone and errors may occur in the absence of laboratory tests. A convenient and simple test is the measurement of plasma complement C3 consumption and conversion in sequential blood samples taken at intervals over the 24 h following an adverse response.