Anaphylaxis in XXXX : a nine years retrospective study (2001-2009).

@entity1 @entity66 @entity566 @entity1425 @entity288 @entity1167 @entity551 @entity291 @entity2021
BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is an acute @entity66 and potentially fatal reaction, resulting from the rapid release of inflammatory mediators. Its exact prevalence is unknown. In @entity1 , foods are the most significant triggers for IgE-mediated @entity2021 . OBJECTIVES: To characterise the cases of @entity2021 evaluated in an @entity566 Division of a Central Paediatric Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A review of all cases of @entity2021 evaluated from 2001 to 2009. Anaphylaxis was defined according to Sampson's 2006 criteria. RESULTS: Seventy-three @entity1 had anaphylactic reactions (47 male), of which 64% had history of atopy. Age at time of reaction ranged between 17 days and 15 years old (median: four years). Food was the most frequently identified cause (n=57), followed by drugs (n=8), hymenoptera venom (n=2), and cold (n=1). In five cases there was no identifiable cause. Among foods, @entity291 's milk was the culprit agent in 27 @entity1 . The most severe reaction was a @entity1167 . The most frequent symptoms were respiratory and cutaneous in 51 cases. @entity551 was present in nine cases. There were no fatalities. Most acute reactions were treated with @entity288 and/or antihistamines. @entity1425 was used in only about one quarter of @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: The most important causes of @entity2021 in our study were foods, and the most common symptoms were respiratory and cutaneous. The prevalence of @entity2021 was higher in males and, in two thirds of @entity1 there was a history of atopy. Despite being the primary and most important treatment for @entity2021 , adrenaline is still used in only a minority of these cases.
