Clinical characteristics and management of pediatric egg-induced anaphylaxis: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Research
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Egg allergy is a frequent cause of food allergy in children.
• Data regarding pediatric egg-induced anaphylaxis remains limited.
• Understanding anaphylaxis triggers is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the clinical presentation, management strategies, and outcomes of pediatric egg-induced anaphylaxis.
• To identify factors associated with prehospital epinephrine autoinjector use.
• To compare egg-induced anaphylaxis with other food-induced anaphylaxis triggers.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 302 children with egg-induced anaphylaxis from the Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry.
• Multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of prehospital epinephrine autoinjector use.
• Comparison of clinical features between egg-induced and other food-induced anaphylaxis.

Main Results:

• The study cohort included 302 children with a mean age of 2.6 years; 39.4% had a prior egg allergy diagnosis.
• Prehospital epinephrine autoinjector use was 32.1%, not significantly different from other food-induced anaphylaxis triggers.
• Egg-induced anaphylaxis patients were younger and more likely to experience vomiting, with less throat tightness and angioedema compared to other triggers.

Conclusions:

• This study represents the largest cohort of pediatric egg-induced anaphylaxis to date.
• Low prehospital epinephrine autoinjector use was observed, emphasizing the need for increased awareness and prompt treatment.
• Distinct clinical features, including younger age and vomiting, aid in identifying egg-induced anaphylaxis, especially when prior allergy history is absent.