TITLE:
Cardiopulmonary and hemodynamic changes in complement activation-related pseudoallergy
AUTHORS:
László Dézsi, Gábor Szénási, Rudolf Urbanics, László Rosivall, János Szebeni
KEYWORDS:
CARPA; Hypersensitivity; Anaphylaxis; Liposome; Pig
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.5 No.6,
June
11,
2013
ABSTRACT: Complement
activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) is a
frequent side effect of intravenous therapies
with nanoparticle-containing drugs and biologicals that are recognized
by the immune system as foreign. It is an acute infusion reaction dominated
by cutaneous and hemodynamic changes, most significantly a cardiopulmonary
distress involving major pulmonary hypertension, systemic hypotension and arrhythmias.
Because CARPA is unpredictable by conventional allergy tests and it may be
life threatening, it can represent a major barrier to the safe therapeutic
application of many modern medicines, including liposomal drugs and monoclonal
antibodies. This review summarizes and updates the facts and opens questions
regarding this phenomenon, with particular focus on its porcine model.