Evaluation of pediatricians' awareness about anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe hypersensitivity reaction with a rapid onset and is potentially life-threatening if not treated promptly. This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge of pediatricians in Turkey in recognizing and treating the clinical symptoms of anaphylaxis, compare the previous studies conducted in Turkey chronologically, and show the current trends on awareness of anaphylaxis in developed and developing countries in the world.

Pediatric residents and specialists from all over Turkey were included in the study. A questionnaire was prepared by compiling the current literature. Questions were sent to pediatricians via online applications. Statistical tests were used to analyze the data.

A total of 524 pediatricians participated in the study. All participants accepted that anaphylaxis was a life-threatening condition. Almost all suggested epinephrine as the primary drug used in anaphylaxis. The proportion of pediatricians who knew the appropriate dose, route of administration, and place of administration of epinephrine was 82.8%, 88.9%, and 89.7%, respectively. The rate of pediatricians who recognized the clinical features of anaphylaxis was over 90%. The proportion of pediatricians who knew the epinephrine auto-injector and dose was 74.4% and 53.1%, respectively. Pediatricians with less than 10 years of experience and those working in public hospitals had better knowledge about atypical symptoms of anaphylaxis.

Although there are still inadequacies in identifying atypical symptoms and treating anaphylaxis, our study revealed that the level of awareness of anaphylaxis had shown an increasing trend in Turkey over time. On the other hand, the knowledge on diagnosing and treating anaphylaxis still needs to be improved, especially for physicians working in rural areas of developing countries.