Risk Factors for Fatal and Near-Fatal Food Anaphylaxis: Analysis of the Allergy-Vigilance Network Database

Area of Science:

• Allergy and Immunology
• Clinical Medicine
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Understanding risk factors for severe anaphylaxis is critical for physicians.
• Severe food-induced anaphylaxis poses a significant clinical challenge.
• This study analyzes severe food anaphylaxis cases to identify risk factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze severe food anaphylaxis cases.
• To assess potential risk factors contributing to anaphylaxis severity.
• To identify predictive factors for grade 4 anaphylaxis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of food anaphylaxis cases (2002-2021) from the French-speaking Allergy-Vigilance Network.
• Comparison of grade 3 and grade 4 anaphylaxis cases using univariate and multivariate statistical analyses.
• Inclusion of 2621 reported food anaphylaxis cases.

Main Results:

• 731 cases (27.9%) were severe (grade 3 or 4), with 19 deaths.
• Peanut (13.9%), wheat (9.4%), and cashew (5.8%) were common triggers.
• Asthma diagnosis (OR: 3.41) and peanut allergy (OR: 3.46) were significant predictors of grade 4 anaphylaxis.

Conclusions:

• Asthma and peanut allergy are key risk factors for severe food anaphylaxis.
• Individuals with these risk factors warrant tailored management approaches.
• Identifying high-risk patients can improve outcomes in severe food anaphylaxis.