Allergy/Immunology physician, Medical Education
Joined August 2008
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Great poster by Dr. Daniel DiGiacomo and Dr. Farmer on COVID vaccine response in our immune deficient patients! @MGHAllergy @mghaifellows
Shout out to the Curbsides for stressing the importance of penicillin allergy testing in order to use the best regimen to treat H. Pylori - your friendly neighborhood allergist is here to help! #curbsiders
rebeccasaff retweeted
Data clearly show diminishing representation for women and URG scientists. Great presentation by Dr. Hannah Valentine #AAAAI2022 keynote session @AAAAI_org
rebeccasaff retweeted
1/ #tweetorial of our new @JACIInPress manuscript #inpress, in which PEG and polysorbate skin testing is shown to have a limited role in evaluation of patients seen after reported first dose mRNA #COVID19Vaccine allergic reaction. jaci-inpractice.org/article/…
Great study by @LaceyRobinsonMD @KimberlyBlumen1 - evaluation of allergic symptoms is so important to get people fully vaccinated if possible!
1/we prospectively studied >50K @MassGenBrigham employees including the 2.5% who has allergic type symptoms after @pfizer @moderna_tx #mrnavaccine #COVIDVaccination. We show that allergic symptoms are associated with incomplete vaccination (3% vs 0.6%; OR>5).
Great work from MGH Allergy!
The rate of anaphylaxis among ~65,000 MGH employees getting mRNA vaccines: 16 (0.025%); all recovered.
98% had no sign of any acute allergic reaction
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam… by @KimberlyBlumen1 @PaigeWickner @LaceyRobinsonMD @MGHAllergy @MassGenBrigham& colleagues @JAMA_current
rebeccasaff retweeted
💯 practical info for patients & clinicians:
1. Delayed LARGE local rxns happen (☑️ out the 🖼️@nejm). For real!!!
2. If they happen, RELAX & REST ASSURED. Manage conservatively &...don't #missyoursecondshot!💉
3. Clinicians: contribute!!! submit allergy cases to @KimberlyBlumen1
The first 12 complete cases #inpress @NEJM today! NO case was more severe with dose 2. nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NE… @LaceyRobinsonMD @AleenaBanerjiMD @DrEstherFreeman @ericashenoy @AnnaWolfsonMD @rebeccasaff @CaitlinBurk @MGHAllergy
rebeccasaff retweeted
The first 12 complete cases #inpress @NEJM today! NO case was more severe with dose 2. nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NE… @LaceyRobinsonMD @AleenaBanerjiMD @DrEstherFreeman @ericashenoy @AnnaWolfsonMD @rebeccasaff @CaitlinBurk @MGHAllergy
Conjunctivitis with Dupilumab - if mild to moderate, can consider spacing to every 3-4 weeks to see if that is helpful. #AAAAI21
I think Keep Calm and Give Epi might be my new motto!
Great summary presented at #AAAAI21 as to why antihistamines & steroids do not treat anaphylaxis:
They take too long & don't treat all the symptoms!
Epinephrine is the ONLY effective treatment of anaphylaxis.
Epinephrine works fast, treats all symptoms, and is very safe to use.
Dr. Guttman-Yassky: Exciting data on use of IL4/IL13 blockade in treatment of alopecia areata. #AAAAI21
rebeccasaff retweeted
Session 201: Telemedicine and Drug Allergy: #telemedicine can improve clinic workflows, increase practice efficiency and offer allergy care in more remote areas of the country where there are no allergists #AAAAI21
Science experiment with Mr. 9 - swabbing mom's phone vs dad's. Turns out alcoholing your phone multiple times a day is rather effective!
rebeccasaff retweeted
If I could have one billboard:
"Allergies are associated with elevated IgE levels, but elevated IgE levels alone do not diagnose allergy."
VERY common cause of misdiagnosis, esp for #foodallergy.
Meaningless sensitization (+ IgE test) is WAY more common than allergy. #AAAAI21
Dose and regimen very important in OIT - at 2000mg/d, 14% EoE-like syndrome, 23% required epi - at 125mg/d, 74% able to tolerate 300mg but no epi and no EoE. More work to be done. #AAAAI21
#AAAAI21 Kaminsky et al (poster 49) shows that omalizumab reduces frequency of attacks in idiopathic anaphylaxis (and is a much better option than steroids if H1, H2 blockers, LTRA not effective). More evidence that this is a great option!