Infantile Anaphylaxis in Korea: a Multicenter Retrospective Case Study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Anaphylaxis incidence is rising in young children.
• Infantile anaphylaxis presents unique clinical challenges.
• Understanding food triggers is vital for prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical characteristics of anaphylaxis in Korean infants.
• To identify the primary food triggers for infantile anaphylaxis.
• To analyze the correlation between specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) levels and anaphylaxis severity.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of medical records for infants aged 0-2 years diagnosed with anaphylaxis.
• Data collected from 23 secondary or tertiary hospitals in Korea.
• Evaluation of symptom prevalence, trigger foods, and treatment patterns.

Main Results:

• 363 cases of infantile anaphylaxis were identified, predominantly in males (66.9%).
• Cow's milk (43.8%) and hen's eggs (21.9%) were the most common food triggers.
• Cutaneous and respiratory symptoms were most prevalent; no significant correlation found between sIgE levels and clinical severity.

Conclusions:

• Cow's milk is the primary food trigger for anaphylaxis in Korean infants.
• Current diagnostic decision points for sIgE may require re-evaluation for cow's milk allergy.
• Emphasizing epinephrine as first-line therapy and improving auto-injector prescription rates are essential.