Global implementation of the world health organization's International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11: The allergic and hypersensitivity conditions model.

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) provides a common language for use worldwide as a diagnostic and classification tool for epidemiology, clinical purposes and health management. Since its first edition, the ICD has maintained a framework distributing conditions according to topography, with the result that some complex conditions, such as allergies and hypersensitivity disorders (A/H) including anaphylaxis, have been poorly represented. The change in hierarchy in ICD-11 permitted the construction of the pioneer section addressed to A/H, which may result in more accurate mortality and morbidity statistics, including more accurate accounting for mortality due to anaphylaxis, strengthen classification, terminology and definitions. The ICD-11 was presented and adopted by the 72nd World Health Assembly in May 2019, and the implementation is ongoing worldwide. We here present the outcomes from an online survey undertaken to reach out the allergy community worldwide in order to peer review the terminology, classification and definitions of A/H introduced into ICD-11 and to support their global implementation. Data are presented here for 406 respondents from 74 countries. All of the subsections of the new A/H section of the ICD-11 had been considered with good accuracy by the majority of respondents. We believe that, in addition to help during the implementation phase, all the comments provided will help to improve the A/H classification and to increase awareness by different disciplines of what actions are needed to ensure more accurate epidemiological data and better clinical management of A/H patients.

Changing the history of anaphylaxis mortality statistics through the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases-11.

We review the history of the classification and coding changes for anaphylaxis and provide current and perspective information in the field. In 2012, an analysis of Brazilian data demonstrated undernotification of anaphylaxis-related deaths because of the difficulties of coding using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. This work triggered strategic international actions supported by the Joint Allergy Academies and the International Classification of Diseases World Health Organization (WHO) leadership to update the classification of allergic disorders for the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11), which resulted in construction of the pioneer "Allergic and hypersensitivity conditions" chapter. The usability of the new framework has been tested by evaluating the same data published in 2012 from the ICD-11 perspective. Coding accuracy was much improved, reaching 95% for definite anaphylaxis. As the results were provided to the WHO Mortality Reference Group, coding rules have been changed, allowing anaphylaxis to be recorded as an underlying cause of death in official mortality statistics. The mandatory use of ICD-11 from January 2022 for documenting cause of death could have 2 immediate consequences: (1) the reported number of anaphylaxis-related deaths might increase because of more appropriate coding and (2) the cross-sectional and longitudinal mortality data generated might ultimately lead to a better understanding of anaphylaxis epidemiology and improved health policies directed at reducing anaphylaxis-related mortality.

Allergy training and immunotherapy in Latin America: results of a regional overview.

BACKGROUND: One main practice gap in allergology that has been detected in several regions of the world is the application of specific immunotherapy (SIT). The prescription and practice of SIT should characterize allergologic specialists, but there are regional discrepancies in such practice. A detailed knowledge of the regulatory and legislation aspects and drawbacks would help improve and harmonize SIT practice. OBJECTIVE: To describe in Latin America the level of allergy training and the characteristics of the use of SIT, including the medical and legal aspects. METHODS: Three sources were used: a 24-item questionnaire sent to 22 allergologic leaders in 11 Latin American countries, 2 face-to-face meetings, and information from health authorities involved in the approval of medical substances. RESULTS: In 56% of countries, the specialty of allergology is a third-level care specialty and/or a subspecialty. Two countries have a special training program for pediatric allergists. Passing a board examination is mandatory in 3 countries, and recertification every 2 to 5 years occurs without examination. Sublingual and subcutaneous SITs are available in all Latin American countries. No legislation restricts SIT prescription and it can be performed by nonspecialists in 7 of 11 countries. In 90% of countries, allergists use allergen extracts from the United States (subcutaneous immunotherapy) and Europe (sublingual and subcutaneous immunotherapies), and 50% also manufacture extracts locally. Only 1 country has legal requirements for the quality of raw materials. CONCLUSION: The present analysis helps to identify gaps in the field of allergologic training and SIT in Latin America, many of them amendable.

Erratum to "IgE allergy diagnostics and other relevant tests in allergy, a World Allergy Organization position paper" [World Allergy Organ J 13/2 (2020) 100080].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2019.100080.].

IgE allergy diagnostics and other relevant tests in allergy, a World Allergy Organization position paper.

Currently, testing for immunoglobulin E (IgE) sensitization is the cornerstone of diagnostic evaluation in suspected allergic conditions. This review provides a thorough and updated critical appraisal of the most frequently used diagnostic tests, both in vivo and in vitro. It discusses skin tests, challenges, and serological and cellular in vitro tests, and provides an overview of indications, advantages and disadvantages of each in conditions such as respiratory, food, venom, drug, and occupational allergy. Skin prick testing remains the first line approach in most instances; the added value of serum specific IgE to whole allergen extracts or components, as well as the role of basophil activation tests, is evaluated. Unproven, non-validated, diagnostic tests are also discussed. Throughout the review, the reader must bear in mind the relevance of differentiating between sensitization and allergy; the latter entails not only allergic sensitization, but also clinically relevant symptoms triggered by the culprit allergen.

Revisiting Desensitization and Allergen Immunotherapy Concepts for the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11.

Allergy and hypersensitivity intervention management procedures, such as desensitization and/or tolerance induction and immunotherapy, have not been pondered up to now in the content of International Classification of Diseases (ICD) context because the focus has been on prioritizing the condition implementations. Tremendous efforts have been devoted to implementing allergic and hypersensitivity conditions in the forthcoming ICD-11. However, we consider that it is crucial now to have nomenclature and classification universally accepted for these procedures to be able to provide scientifically consistent proposals into the new ICD-11 platform for the best practice parameters of our specialty. With the aim of promoting a harmonized comprehension and aligning it with the ICD-11 revision, we have reviewed the definitions and concepts currently used for desensitization and/or tolerance induction and immunotherapy. We strongly believe that this review is a key instrument to support the allergy specialty identity into the ICD-11 framework and serves as a platform to perform positive quality improvement in clinical practice.

Contaminación atmosférica en América Latina: impacto en la salud Y regulación actual - reporte del grupo del Comité de Aerobiología de la Sociedad Latinoamericana de Asma, Alergia e Inmunología / Atmospheric pollution in Latin America: impact on health and current regulation - report of the Aerobiology Committee of the Latin American Society of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology

La contaminación ambiental, en todas sus vertientes, tiene un efecto de enormes dimensiones no sólo sobre la existencia del planeta, sino también sobre la salud de la humanidad. América Latina es una región privilegiada ambientalmente, debido a su gran acervo de patrimonio natural, biodiversidad y posibilidades de provisión de servicios ambientales. Pero, a su vez, es una de las regiones más urbanizadas del orbe, con las afectaciones y presión al medio ambiente que esto implica, principalmente en la calidad del aire que se respira, derivadas de antiguos patrones productivos y de ocupación territorial, que se han agudizado como consecuencia del modelo de desarrollo predominante. Los efectos sobre la salud humana de diversas sustancias contaminantes están relacionados a procesos inflamatorios sobre mucosas y al aumento de la morbimortalidad en personas con enfermedades preexistentes, principalmente de los sistemas neurológico, cardiaco y respiratorio, en particular las enfermedades alérgicas respiratorias. La región latinoamericana enfrenta importantes problemas ambientales, determinados por los patrones de uso de sus recursos naturales, los sistemas de producción, los hábitos de consumo de las poblaciones humanas y la regulación gubernamental ambiental, que en muchos casos es laxa o pobremente implementada por los gobiernos en turno.

Air quality, in all its dimensions, has a major effect not only on the existence of the planet, but also on human health. Latin America is an environmentally privileged region, due to its great wealth of natural heritage, biodiversity and possibilities of provision of environmental services. But, at the same time, it is one of the most urbanized regions in the world, with the effects and pressure on the environment that this implies, mainly in the air quality, due to patterns of production and of territorial occupation, which they have exacerbated as a result of the predominant development model. The effects of diverse pollutant substances on the human health are related to inflammatory processes on mucous membranes and to increased morbidity and mortality in people with pre-existing diseases, especially of the neurological, cardiac and respiratory systems, in particular respiratory allergic illnesses. The Latin American region faces important environmental problems determined by the patterns of use of its natural resources, systems of production, habits of consumption of the human populations, and environmental governmental regulation, which is often lax or poorly implemented by the local authorities.