Common features of anaphylaxis in children

We aimed to establish the characteristics of anaphylaxis in childhood.

Forty-four patients who had experienced anaphylaxis in a period of 10 years (from 1999 to 2009), were included in the study. Parameters analysed were age, gender, concomitant allergic disease, trigger, setting, clinical symptoms, treatment, prognosis and prophylaxis.

The total numbers of anaphylaxis cases were 44 in a ten-year period. The ages of patients ranged from 3 to 14 years (11.50 ± 3.87 years) and the majority were male. 33 of the patients (75%) had a concomitant allergic disease. The trigger was determined in 93.2% of the cases, being most frequent: food (27.3%), and SIT (25%), followed by bee sting, medications and others. Respiratory (95.5%), dermatological (90.9%), cardiovascular (20.5%), neuropsychiatric (25%), and gastrointestinal (11.4%) symptoms were seen most frequently. For anaphylaxis triggered by food, the duration of anaphylactic episode was significantly longer (p<0.05). No biphasic reaction was observed during these attacks. Of our patients, only one developed respiratory failure and cardiac arrest due to SIT, and intensive care support was required.

As a trigger for anaphylaxis, the frequency of SIT is so high that it cannot be described by the study group including patients who were followed up in an outpatient allergy clinic.