Characteristics of Allergy-related Emergency Medical Calls: A Retrospective Dispatch-based Study

Available research on the recognition and prehospital management of allergic reactions is limited. The aim of this study was to characterise emergency medical calls related to allergic reactions, with a focus on suspected allergens, patient characteristics and the use of prescribed emergency therapy prior to the arrival of EMS.

We conducted a retrospective, dispatch-based observational study of emergency calls related to allergic reactions in Slovenia in 2023, using data from the Slovenian Emergency Medical Dispatch Service database. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results.

A total of 849 emergency calls were analysed. In most cases, the caller was a family member (35.3%; 300/849). A known history of allergic reactions was reported in 21.8% (185/849) of patients. The most common allergens were medications (22.3%; 189/849), insect stings or bites (19.3%; 164/849), and food (17.1%; 145/849). Medications were most frequently reported in winter (60.5%; 69/114), while insect stings and bites predominated in summer (53.1%; 86/162). Among children, food was the leading allergen (56.7%; 55/97), whereas medications were most common in the elderly (61.9%; 70/113). In adults, insect stings or bites (34.5%; 110/319) and medications (33.9%; 108/319) were equally prevalent. Prescribed emergency therapy was used in 31.3% (266/849) of cases, including an epinephrine auto-injector in 8.5% (72/849).

Emergency calls for allergic reactions vary in clinical severity, underscoring the critical role of Emergency Medical Dispatchers in early identification and prioritization. Medications, insect stings and bites, and food were the leading allergens, with distribution influenced by age and season.