Latex is a kind of natural rubber made from fluid from the rubber tree. Some people are allergic to latex. These allergies are especially common among children with spina bifida. Patients subjected to multiple medical procedures or people who work in the health care industry also are at higher risk. Latex allergies are an occasional though uncommon problem for diabetics who need to take insulin injections.
Allergies
The severity of latex allergies varies widely. Most patients with latex allergies exhibit mild symptoms such as rashes, itching, sneezing and watery eyes. Severe reactions are rare but very serious because they can be fatal. People with high sensitivity who may experience these extreme reactions are said to have a type 1 latex allergy. An itchy, burning plaque around the injection site following an insulin injection is a possible sign of an allergy.
Latex
Insulin injection products may contain latex rubber in one of two places. The septum in some vials may be made from or contain latex rubber, and, when the needle on the syringe is pushed through the septum, it can pick up enough material to provoke a reaction in an allergic patient. Some syringes with rubber plungers may feature small amounts of latex rubber, as well.
Frequency
Cases in which diabetics exhibited an allergic reaction to latex in an injection product have been reported but are somewhat rare. According to the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, a search of the scientific literature turned up only one report of a single case. An article in the "Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine" reported a case in which a young girl suffering from diabetes exhibited a localized allergic reaction caused by a latex septum on the insulin vials.
Considerations
A letter published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in 2003 reported a case in which a 35-year old diabetic exhibited a localized allergic reaction to insulin aspirated from a vial with a latex-rubber bung. Her physician solved the problem by switching to latex-free vials from another manufacturer. The report concluded that, although these kinds of cases are rare and the risk is relatively low, it is indeed possible that latex stoppers on insulin vials can release enough protein to trigger a reaction in hypersensitive patients.
References
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Insulin Injection-Site Reactions Associated with Type I Latex Allergy; M. A. B. Roest, et al.; 2003
- Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Pharmacy Department: Raising Awareness of Latex Allergy
- MayoClinic.com: Latex Allergy
- Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine"; Latex Hypersensitivity in a Child with Diabetes; Robert P. Hoffman; 2000
