Risk Factors in Severe Anaphylaxis: Which Matters the Most, Food or Cofactors?

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Allergy Research
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction, has unknown prevalence and risk factors.
• Identifying triggers and predictors for anaphylactic shock is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate risk factors associated with anaphylactic shock.
• To compare characteristics of patients experiencing anaphylaxis versus anaphylactic shock.

Main Methods:

• Utilized lipid transfer protein (LTP) allergy as a model.
• Collected data on patient demographics, pollen sensitization, food intake, and cofactors.
• Diagnosed culprit foods via clinical history and allergology work-up (skin prick test, sIgE).

Main Results:

• Evaluated 150 reactions in 55 patients with anaphylaxis and 12 with anaphylactic shock.
• No correlation found between food groups or cofactors and reaction severity.
• Plant food mix, peach, and nuts were common triggers; exercise was the most frequent cofactor.

Conclusions:

• Reaction severity in anaphylaxis was not linked to specific foods or cofactors.
• Anaphylactic shock appears infrequent and may involve individual-specific factors needing further research.