Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
07:49
Measuring Local Anaphylaxis in Mice
Published on: October 14, 2014
Idiopathic anaphylaxis: total experience with 225 patients
N A Orfan1, R S Stoloff, K E Harris
1Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.
Allergy Proceedings : the Official Journal of Regional and State Allergy Societies
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Idiopathic anaphylaxis (IA) is unpredictable and potentially life-threatening. Pharmacologic management significantly reduced emergency visits, with most patients achieving remission.
Area of Science:
- Allergy and Immunology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Idiopathic anaphylaxis (IA) is defined as anaphylaxis without a clear trigger.
- IA episodes are unpredictable, recurrent, and can be life-threatening.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the epidemiologic features and clinical course of patients with IA.
- To assess the effectiveness of a specific pharmacologic management protocol for IA.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective evaluation of 225 patients diagnosed with IA.
- Management protocol included prednisone, H1 antagonists, and beta-adrenergic agents.
- Observation period of 636 patient-years.
Main Results:
- No fatalities from IA were observed in this patient series.
- A sevenfold reduction in emergency care visits for IA episodes occurred after treatment initiation.
- Ninety-five of 147 observed patients achieved remission (1 year without corticosteroids).
Conclusions:
- The diagnosis of IA was found to be highly reliable in this series.
- Pharmacologic management significantly improves outcomes and reduces emergency care needs for IA.
- Long-term prognosis for idiopathic anaphylaxis is generally good, with a majority of patients achieving remission.
Related Concept Videos
02:06Allergic Reactions
Overview
01:27Allergic Drug Reactions
Allergic reactions related to drugs are hypersensitivity responses driven by the immune system and bear no connection to the drug's therapeutic action. While drugs in isolation do not trigger an immune response, they can interact with endogenous proteins to form antigens. These antigens stimulate lymphocytes to produce antibodies. IgE-type antibodies attach themselves to mast cells. Upon subsequent exposure to the same stimulus, the antigen-antibody interaction is initiated, unleashing numerous...
01:20Desensitization and Tachyphylaxis
Tachyphylaxis is described as a rapid decrease in response to a drug after repeated or continuous administration of the same drug dose. It is a phenomenon where the body becomes less responsive to a particular substance or intervention over time, requiring higher doses or stronger interventions to achieve the same effect. It results from adaptive changes in the body's receptors, signaling pathways, or physiological processes that occur in response to prolonged exposure to a stimulus.
Several...
Several...
01:30Drug Toxicity: Allergic Reactions
Drug-related allergies are immune-mediated responses triggered by the administration of pharmacological agents. These hypersensitivity reactions are classified based on the immune mechanisms involved. The four primary types—Type I, II, III, and IV—are mediated by different immunological pathways and exhibit distinct clinical manifestations.Type I Hypersensitivity/ IgE-Mediated Reactions: Immunoglobulin E (IgE) immediately mediates Type I hypersensitivity reactions. Upon initial exposure to a...
01:30Allergic Reactions: Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction mediated by Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. When IgE binds to allergens, it triggers the release of mediators– histamine, leukotrienes, and prostaglandins from mast cells and basophils. These mediators cause vasodilation, edema, and inflammation, leading to various symptoms.The primary allergens causing anaphylaxis include food items (e.g., peanuts, shellfish), drugs (e.g., penicillin, asparaginase, corticotropin, heparin),...
01:29Hypersensitivity Reactions: Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions
Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (DTH), or Type IV hypersensitivity, is a cell-mediated immune response. It occurs when T cells, rather than antibodies, mediate a reaction to specific antigens. It is characterized by a delayed onset (1-2 days) and involves the recruitment of macrophages to the inflammation site.The initiation of a DTH response begins with the sensitization of T cells. During this phase, which lasts at least 1-2 weeks, antigen-specific T cells are activated, clonally expanded, and...