Association Between Allergen Sensitization and Anaphylaxis in Patients Visiting a Pediatric Emergency Department

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Immunology
• Allergology

Background:

• Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction with diverse triggers.
• Understanding the link between allergic sensitization and anaphylaxis in children is crucial for risk assessment and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific allergic sensitizations and the symptoms and severity of anaphylaxis in pediatric patients.
• To determine how age influences allergen sensitization patterns in children experiencing anaphylaxis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 107 pediatric patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis between 2015 and 2017.
• Allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing performed on 74 patients to identify sensitization.
• Analysis of correlations between sensitization profiles, clinical symptoms, and anaphylaxis severity.

Main Results:

• A high prevalence of sensitization (86.5%) to food or inhalant allergens was observed.
• Significant age-related differences in sensitization were noted: younger children (<2 years) predominantly sensitized to food (90.5%), while older children (>6 years) showed higher sensitization to inhalants (84.6%).
• Milk sensitization was linked to severe anaphylaxis (P=0.036). Specific symptoms like facial edema, wheezing, dyspnea, and vomiting were associated with sensitization to particular allergens (e.g., food, milk, mites, wheat, nuts).

Conclusions:

• Allergen sensitization patterns in pediatric anaphylaxis are age-dependent.
• The specific allergens children are sensitized to significantly influence the clinical presentation, severity, and specific symptoms of anaphylaxis.