Iron Will, No Allergy | Allergic and expecting? JLNM doctors offer hope

Srinagar, Feb 6: In a first, the doctors at Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial (JLNM) Hospital at Rainawari in Srinagar successfully performed the Graded Drug Challenge for Oral Iron and Tetanus Toxoid in a second-trimester pregnant woman with Multiple Drug Allergy Syndrome.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Director Health Dr Mushtaq Rather said that this was the first-ever graded drug challenge of such nature in a pregnant female with multi drug allergy in the country.

The JLNM Hospital’s Department of Medicine in Srinagar successfully performed the maiden Graded Drug Challenge for Oral Iron and Tetanus Toxoid in the second-trimester pregnant woman with Multiple Drug Allergy Syndrome.

Medical Superintendent JLNM Hospital, Dr Tajammul Hussain told Greater Kashmir that the woman has a history of Anaphylaxis – considered as a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction - to IV Iron in the past and performing the Graded Drug Challenge on her was a significant milestone for JLNM Hospital as well as Jammu and Kashmir.

The Graded Drug Challenge is a method of cautious, stepwise administration of increasing amounts of a drug to which a patient is less likely to be allergic.

The procedure was successfully carried out by the Department’s Allergist Dr Taha Quraishi and Dr Sajad Ahangar under the guidance of HoD Medicine Dr Shahzada Parray and HoD Anaesthesiology Dr Arifa Amin with the overwhelming support of Medical Superintendent Dr Tajammul Hussain.

Explaining the intricacies of the Graded Drug Challenge on drug allergy patients, Dr Taha said that some patients who are allergic to certain drugs are provided treatment in this graded and selective manner to avert any serious drug allergy episode.

“The patient had a history of anaemia. In the past, she had been allergic to intra venous iron and had complained of drowsiness and breathing difficulty, which could be life-threatening for a pregnant woman,” he said.

Dr Taha said that the procedure could have cost the patient’s family a fortune had it been conducted at any of the handful of private hospitals of the country . “It happened at just Rs 20 in our hospital.”

Dr Taha said that such a procedure had not been quoted anywhere in the country’s literature and as such was the first of its kind case in the country.

“The patient’s gynaecologist had referred her to us. We conducted the Graded Drug Challenge in a controlled set-up where any reaction could be handled. It was successful. She is now consuming the required drugs without any allergic reactions and her husband is a happy man,” he said.

Expressing delight at the successful conduct of the procedure, Dr Taha thanked the entire team involved.

“We will keep on conducting advanced procedures with improved efficiency and results for our patients with multiple crucial allergies,” he said.

Earlier, expressing his pleasure over the feat, the Director Health congratulated the team JLNM and said that Allergy - Immunology services were being provided comprehensively at the institution and should be given more boost in the future.

He said that all the sister specialities were working under one roof at JLNM Hospital which ensures excellent customised patient care.