November 9, 2022
Anaphylaxis symptoms tended to resolve with a single dose of epinephrine
LOUISVILLE, KY (November 10, 2022)– Although many parents of infants worry about their child having a foodAllergies are inappropriate or exaggerated reactions of the immune system to substances that, in the majority of people, cause no symptoms. Symptoms of the allergic diseases may be caused by exposure of the skin to a chemical, of the respiratory system to particles of dust or pollen (or other substances), or of the stomach and intestines to a particular food." rel="tooltip">allergy, there has not been a lot of research into the presentation ofanaphylaxisin infants. A new study being presented at this year’s American College of Allergy,Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory lung disease characterized by recurrent breathing problems. People with asthma have acute episodes where the air passages in their lungs get narrower, and breathing becomes more difficult. Sometimes episodes of asthma are triggered by allergens, although infection, exercise, cold air and other factors are also important triggers." rel="tooltip">Asthmaand Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Louisville, KY shows that, in infants aged 0-24 months who presented to the emergency department for anaphylaxis, few required hospitalization and most were able to go home after a few hours of observation.
“We reviewed charts for 169 patients under the age of 2 who presented with anaphylaxis and found that symptoms were reported in the skin/mucosal (97.6%), gastrointestinal (74.6%), respiratory (56.8%) and cardiovascular (34.3%) systems”, said Colleen Shannon, MD, MPH, ACAAI member and lead author of the study. “Almost all episodes were triggered by food, especially egg (26.6%), peanut (25.4%) milk (13.6%) and cashew (10.1%).”
146 patients (86.4%) receivedEpinephrine is a naturally occurring hormone, also called adrenaline. It is one of two chemicals (the other is norepinephrine) released by the adrenal gland. Epinephrine increases the speed and force of heart beats and thereby the work that can be done by the heart. It dilates the airways to improve breathing and narrows blood vessels in the skin and intestine so that an increased flow of blood reaches the muscles and allows them to cope with the demands of exercise. Epinephrine has been produced synthetically as a drug since 1900. It remains the drug of choice for treatment of anaphylaxis." rel="tooltip">epinephrine, with 51 (30.1%) receiving it prior to arrival at the hospital and 16 (9.5%) requiring more than one dose. 17 infant patients (10.1%) were admitted to the hospital, but none required intensive care.
“It’s important that infants, just like older children and adults, need quick and accurate diagnosis to make sure their anaphylaxis is treated appropriately,” said allergist Juhee Lee, MD, senior author on the study. “Fortunately, most cases of anaphylaxis in infants seem to resolve with a single dose of epinephrine. The vast majority were able to go home from the emergency department without further intervention.”
If your child has a severe allergic reaction to a food, see an allergist for diagnosis and management, including a prescription for an epinephrine auto injector. And avoid that food in the future. Anyone with a food allergy should be under the care of an allergist. An allergist can create a plan to help patients identify their food allergens and avoid triggers.
Abstract Title: Characterizing Anaphylaxis in Infants Presenting to the Emergency Room
Presenter: Colleen Shannon, MD, MPH
For more information about severe allergies and anaphylaxis, or to find an allergist in your area, visitAllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting takes place Nov. 10-14. For more news and research from ACAAI Scientific Meeting, go to ournewsroom– and follow the conversation on Twitter#ACAAI22.
About ACAAI
ACAAI是professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy, and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administerImmunotherapy is a form of preventive and anti-inflammatory treatment of allergy to substances such as pollens, house dust mites, fungi, and stinging insect venom. Immunotherapy involves giving gradually increasing doses of the substance, or allergen, to which the person is allergic. The incremental increases of the allergen cause the immune system to become less sensitive to the substance, perhaps by causing production of a particular "blocking" antibody, which reduces the symptoms of allergy when the substance is encountered in the future." rel="tooltip">immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visitAllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us onFacebook,PinterestandTwitter.
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Allergy,Child Allergies,Egg Allergies,Epinephrine,Milk Allergies,Peanut Allergies,Severe Reactions, Anaphylaxis & Epinephrine
