NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Penicillin allergy is more likely to develop in women than in men, even after factoring in the effects of other allergy risk factors, according to study findings published in the of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

The rate of individuals reporting they are allergic to penicillin ranges from one percent to 10 percent, and the rate of life-threatening reactions to this antibiotic is estimated to be 0.01 percent to 0.05 percent, note Dr. Miguel A. Park, of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues. "

In a chart review study, the researchers determined the rates of positive penicillin skin test (PST) results, according to sex, in patients with a history of penicillin allergy who were undergoing a medical evaluation.

A total of 1,921 patients were included in the study. Of these, 1759 underwent PST and 157 did not. Five medical records were not available for review. The average patient age was 60 years old.