Definition of infusion reactions, in accordance with the Cheifetz criteria14.
| Severity of Infusion Reaction | Symptoms | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Mild | Hyperemia, malaise, or dizziness. Self-limited course | Reduction (to 10 ml/h) or stop infusion. Eventually clemastine IV (0.05 mg/kg). Monitoring of vital signs every few minutes until within normal limits. Restart of infusion after break of at least 30 min with slow infusion rate (10 ml/h), then gradual increase. |
| Moderate | Respiratory symptoms (e.g., dyspnea, chest tightness, stridor). Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain). Urticaria | Stop infusion. Clemastine IV (0.05 mg/kg); methylprednisolone IV (2 mg/kg), and inhalation (albuterol, epinephrine) if necessary. Monitoring of vital signs every few minutes until within normal limits. Restart of infusion after break of at least 30 min. |
| Severe | Respiratory, gastrointestinal symptoms, and/or rash and tachycardia and hypotonia | Stop infusion. Clemastine IV (0.05 mg/kg); methylprednisolone IV (2 mg/kg), adrenalin (1:1000, 0.1 mg IM) in case of hypotonia. Monitoring of vital signs every few minutes until within normal limits. |
IV: intravenously.