Evaluation and risk factors of latex allergy in spina bifida patients: is it preventable?

Allergic reactions to latex, varying from urticaria to life-threatening IgE-mediated anaphylaxis, have been described in patients with spina bifida. In a study of 50 patients 60% had a latex allergy identified by history, a radioallergosorbent test and/or a skin prick test. Latex allergic patients had undergone statistically more surgical procedures than nonallergic patients (9.5 versus 6.7) with a p value of 0.03. The presence of latex allergy did not correlate with the number of intra-abdominal procedures (1.9 versus 1.4) or with the number of years on clean intermittent catheterization (7.7 versus 5.9). These results suggest that latex allergy is acquired through multiple exposures due to breakdown of blood tissue barriers. Therefore, we recommend that all patients with spina bifida undergoing surgery be evaluated for latex allergy and that all surgical procedures in spina bifida patients, from the time of birth, be performed in a latex-free environment.