The role of EDTA in provoking allergic reactions to subcutaneous infusion of apomorphine in patients with Parkinson's disease: A histologic study

Abstract

One of the formulations of apomorphine, used in clinical practice, contains sodium edetate (EDTA). EDTA is a chelator which indirectly prevents oxidation of apomorphine. A clinical and histologic study in four patients revealed that apomorphine with EDTA caused severe subcutaneous nodules, histologically characterized by an inflammatory infiltrate with a large amount of eosinophils, indicating a cell-mediated allergic reaction. After withdrawal of EDTA, this allergic component completely disappeared, which was accompanied clinically by less extensive nodule formation with a softer consistency. It is therefore recommended that EDTA be excluded from apomorphine formulations.