[Portable emergency kits prescribed for patients allergic to hymenoptera venoms]

Allergy to hymenoptera venoms may produce anaphylactic reactions that are severe in 0.8 - 5% of the adult population, according to different epidemiological studies. The risk of a severe reaction in allergic patients who have not been desensitized is 50%. This risk falls to 5 - 10% for allergy to wasp and to 10 - 20% for allergy to bee (1, 2, 3, 4). Because of this serious and vital risk, there is a consensus to prescribe an emergency kit that contains auto-injectable adrenaline (5). An enquiry was made of the allergists of ANAFORCAL and their patients to find the actual practice in comparison with this consensus... 80 physicians and 181 patients replied. It seems that adrenalin is almost always prescribed, together with other products (antihistamines and corticosteroids the most frequent). On the other hand, the following of prescriptions by the patient is not always perfect. It is important therefore to check that the kit is regularly carried, that it is still valid and to be sure that the patient always knows how to manage the product.