Specialty: Consultant Allergist, with a practice centred on complex and treatment-resistant allergic disease
Conditions seen: anaphylaxis, food allergy, drug and vaccine allergy, antibiotic and NSAID allergy, general anaesthetic allergy, latex allergy, venom (bee, wasp and hornet) allergy, urticaria (hives) and angioedema (swelling), allergic asthma, hay fever, allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, conjunctivitis and rhinoconjunctivitis, eosinophilic oesophagitis, allergy in mastocytosis
Tests, treatments and procedures: skin prick tests, allergy blood testing, ISAC allergy test, food provocation and challenge testing, drug provocation tests (DPT) and challenges, allergen immunotherapy (desensitisation), omalizumab (Xolair) for urticaria and angioedema, treatment for chronic rhinosinusitis
Often consulted by patients with: a previous anaphylactic reaction, a suspected reaction to a drug, antibiotic, vaccine or anaesthetic, a suspected food allergy, or long-standing hives and swelling that have not settled with standard treatment
Patient ages seen: 16+
Also: former Clinical Lead at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital; led the UK’s largest anti-IgE (omalizumab) service for chronic spontaneous urticaria; contributor to international guidelines on urticaria and angioedema. He does not manage mast cell activation syndrome, gastrointestinal food intolerances, contact dermatitis and patch testing, histamine intolerance or alcohol intolerance
Languages: English, Polish
Dr Chris (Krzysztof) Rutkowski is a Consultant Allergist at Welbeck’s Allergy centre in London, specialising in complex and treatment-resistant allergic disease. His practice covers anaphylaxis, food allergies, drug and vaccine allergies, including reactions to antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and general anaesthetics, as well as latex and venom allergies. He also treats urticaria (hives) and angioedema (swelling), allergic asthma, hay fever, allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, conjunctivitis and rhinoconjunctivitis, eosinophilic oesophagitis and allergy in mastocytosis.
Dr Rutkowski takes a precise, evidence-based approach to identifying allergic triggers and developing individual treatment plans. His investigations include skin prick tests, allergy blood testing, ISAC allergy testing, supervised food challenges and drug provocation tests. Where appropriate, he offers advanced treatments including allergen immunotherapy (desensitisation) and omalizumab (Xolair) for persistent urticaria and angioedema.
Dr Rutkowski completed his specialist allergy training in Cambridge before moving to Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, an internationally recognised Centre of Excellence accredited by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the World Allergy Organisation. During his time there, he served as Clinical Lead and led the UK’s largest anti-IgE (omalizumab) service for chronic spontaneous urticaria. He was also closely involved in the UK’s first joint allergy and dermatology Difficult Urticaria Clinic at St John’s Institute of Dermatology.
Alongside his clinical work, Dr Rutkowski has contributed to international guidelines on urticaria and angioedema and to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Task Force on paediatric urticaria. He is also a published author in drug allergy and is involved in postgraduate education, teaching healthcare professionals nationally and internationally.
Please note: Dr Rutkowski does not manage mast cell activation syndrome, gastrointestinal food intolerances (including bloating or chronic diarrhoea), contact dermatitis and patch testing (such as allergies to chemicals, metals, fragrances or hair dyes), histamine intolerance or alcohol intolerance.
Dr Rutkowski completed his specialist allergy training in Cambridge before moving to Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, an internationally recognised Centre of Excellence accredited by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) and the World Allergy Organisation. During his time there, he served as Clinical Lead and developed extensive experience in managing complex and treatment-resistant allergic disease. He was also closely involved in the UK’s first joint allergy and dermatology Difficult Urticaria Clinic at St John’s Institute of Dermatology.
Alongside his clinical practice, Dr Rutkowski is actively involved in postgraduate education, teaching MSc students, allergists, dermatologists, GPs and physicians nationally and internationally.
Qualifications:
MD
MRCP
CCT (Allergy)
Dr Rutkowski has published extensively in allergy, with research covering drug and vaccine hypersensitivity, food allergy and difficult-to-treat chronic urticaria. His work includes studies of reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, antibiotics and steroids, as well as alpha-gal syndrome and omega-5 gliadin allergy. He has contributed to international guidelines on urticaria and angioedema and to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Task Force on paediatric urticaria.
He previously led the UK’s largest anti-IgE (omalizumab) service for chronic spontaneous urticaria and is President of the Section of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the Royal Society of Medicine.
Key publications:
Adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines: a practical approach. Clin Exp Allergy. 2021;51(6):770–777. DOI: 10.1111/cea.13880.
Piperacillin-tazobactam hypersensitivity: a large, multicenter analysis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(5):2001–2009. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.12.051.
The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management and course of chronic urticaria. Allergy. 2021;76(3):816–830. DOI: 10.1111/all.14687.
“Omalizumab plus”: combining omalizumab with immunosuppression for treatment of refractory chronic urticaria: a multicenter UK series. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(3):1400–1401.e2. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.10.056.
Synchronous telemedicine in allergy: lessons learned and transformation of care during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2021;9(1):170–176.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.10.013.
Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to steroids and steroid-containing medications. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2020;20(4):362–366. DOI: 10.1097/ACI.0000000000000655.
Alpha-gal syndrome: an emerging cause of food and drug allergy. Clin Exp Allergy. 2020;50(8):894–903. DOI: 10.1111/cea.13683.
Polyethylene glycol may be the major allergen in depot medroxy-progesterone acetate. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020;8(9):3194–3197. DOI:10.1016/j.jaip.2020.04.057.
Flucloxacillin hypersensitivity: patient outcomes in a multicenter retrospective study. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2019;7(7):2212–2217.e1. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.03.018.
A multicenter evaluation of diagnosis and management of omega-5 gliadin allergy (also known as wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis) in 132 adults. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2018;6(6):1892–1897. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.02.013.
Steroid allergy: clinical features and the importance of excipient testing in a diagnostic algorithm. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2018;6(5):1655–1661. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2018.01.007.
British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Royal Society of Medicine (President, Section of Clinical Immunology and Allergy)
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
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Dr Rutkowski assesses a wide range of allergic conditions, including anaphylaxis, food allergies, urticaria (hives), angioedema (swelling), drug and vaccine allergies, latex and venom allergies, allergic asthma, hay fever, rhinitis, sinusitis, and conjunctivitis. He also assesses allergy in patients with mastocytosis.
He does not manage mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), gastrointestinal food intolerances, contact dermatitis or patch testing, histamine intolerance or alcohol intolerance.
An assessment begins with a detailed discussion of your symptoms and medical history. Depending on your suspected allergy, Dr Rutkowski may recommend skin prick tests , allergy blood tests , ISAC allergy testing , drug intradermal tests or supervised food provocation challenges . He’ll explain which investigations are appropriate and use the results to develop a treatment plan tailored to you.
Yes. Dr Rutkowski assesses suspected allergies to antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), vaccines and general anaesthetics. Depending on your medical history and suspected reaction, investigations may include skin prick testing, drug intradermal testing or supervised drug provocation tests (DPT) and challenges. He’ll assess which tests are appropriate for you during your consultation.
Dr Rutkowski specialises in persistent urticaria (hives) and angioedema (swelling), including cases that haven’t responded to standard treatment. Where appropriate, he offers omalizumab (Xolair), a biologic treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria.
He previously led the UK’s largest anti-IgE (omalizumab) service for this condition and was closely involved in the UK’s first joint allergy and dermatology Difficult Urticaria Clinic at St John’s Institute of Dermatology.
Allergen immunotherapy (desensitisation) involves giving carefully controlled doses of an allergen over time to help your body become less sensitive to it. It may be suitable for people with certain allergies including hay fever and venom allergies. Dr Rutkowski can discuss whether it's right for you, how the treatment works and what to expect during your consultation.
