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Up to 10% of hospitalised patients are registered as penicillin allergic. However, 80-90% will tolerate penicillin after evaluation. New Danish guidelines suggest criteria for evaluation of patients based on risk stratification according to the severity of the index reaction. The allergy label can be removed immediately, if allergy can be ruled out using the criteria presented in this review, but all other patients should be referred for evaluation in a specialist allergy department. Specific IgE measurement should only be done in adult patients with an immediate reaction (onset less-than 2 h after intake of a tablet) or urticaria.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to estimate the incidence of major salivary gland tumors in a geographically well-defined area (the County of Funen, Denmark) and to analyse the demographic data and distribution of histological types., Materials and Methods: Patients with salivary gland tumors were identified through a search on pathology and diagnosis codes in the period 1984-2003, which initially resulted in a group of 951 patients. Of these a total of 682 patients (72%) fulfilled the criteria for inclusion., Results: The incidence of major salivary gland tumors for the County of Funen is calculated to 7.3 per 100,000 residents per year. The material consisted of 372 females (55%) and 310 males (45%), with a median age of 56 years. Pleomorphic adenoma (55%) was the most common type, followed by adenolymphoma (29%). 90% of the tumors were found in the parotid gland - 93% benign and 7% malignant. 10% were located in the submandibular gland - 73% benign and 27% malignant. Only one neoplasm was located in the sublingual gland and it was malignant (100%). The older group harboured significantly more malignant neoplasms (12%) than the younger group (7%). The occurrence of pleomorphic adenomas among females (66%) was higher than among males (43%), on the other hand more adenolymphomas were found in males (43%) than in females (17%)., Conclusion: The incidence of major salivary gland tumors in the County of Funen is calculated to 7.3 per 100,000 inhabitants per year which is equivalent to 383 new cases in Denmark per year.