Anaphylaxis management in a French pediatric emergency department: Lessons from the ANA-PED study.

BACKGROUND: Anaphylaxis is a serious systemic hypersensitivity reaction that requires immediate recognition and prompt administration of epinephrine/adrenaline. The present study aimed to assess the appropriateness of epinephrine/adrenaline use in children identified as allergic by physicians in the emergency department (ED) at the time of the reaction, and to identify factors that are possibly associated with epinephrine/adrenaline administration, auto-injector prescription, and further referral to an allergist. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study at the pediatric ED of the University Hospital of Montpellier, France. We included all consecutive children who attended the ED between 2016 and 2020 with an allergy-related diagnosis at discharge. RESULTS: We included 1056 allergy-related visits, including 224 (21.2%) with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis at discharge; only 17.0% of them received an epinephrine/adrenaline injection, and 57.1% consulted an allergist after the acute episode. An auto-injector was prescribed to 63 (28.1%) patients at discharge from the ED. Besides the severity of the clinical presentation, factors associated with a guidelines-based management of the anaphylactic reaction and with an increased administration rate of epinephrine/adrenaline included presence of asthma symptoms and presence of extended skin reactions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underlines persistent gaps in the management of pediatric anaphylaxis in ED, focusing on hereby identified levers. By disseminating current knowledge and guidelines on anaphylaxis and allergies, specialists could work together with emergency physicians to establish effective management algorithms and improve anaphylaxis management and care pathways for children experiencing allergic reactions, especially anaphylaxis. TRAIL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials, number NCT05112367.

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.

Genetic variants associated with T cell-mediated cutaneous adverse drug reactions: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review-An EAACI position paper.

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) are associated with high global morbidity and mortality. Cutaneous T cell-mediated reactions classically occur more than 6 hours after drug administration and include life-threatening conditions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and hypersensitivity syndrome. Over the last 20 years, significant advances have been made in our understanding of the pathogenesis of DHRs with the identification of human leukocyte antigens as predisposing factors. This has led to the development of pharmacogenetic screening tests, such as HLA-B*57:01 in abacavir therapy, which has successfully reduced the incidence of abacavir hypersensitivity reactions. We have completed a PRISMA-compliant systematic review to identify genetic associations that have been reported in DHRs. In total, 105 studies (5554 cases and 123 548 controls) have been included in the review reporting genetic associations with carbamazepine (n = 31), other aromatic antiepileptic drugs (n = 24), abacavir (n = 11), nevirapine (n = 14), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (n = 11), dapsone (n = 4), allopurinol (n = 10), and other drugs (n = 5). The most commonly reported genetic variants associated with DHRs are located in human leukocyte antigen genes and genes involved in drug metabolism pathways. Increasing our understanding of genetic variants that contribute to DHRs will allow us to improve diagnosis, develop new treatments, and predict and prevent DHRs in the future.

The EAACI-AAAAI-WAO Junior Members' joint survey: A worldwide snapshot of Allergy and Clinical Immunology specialty.

BACKGROUND: Education and training in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (A/I) are characterized by a great variability worldwide. However, objective and worldwide data regarding this topic are lacking. METHODS: To investigate personal information, education, and involvement in scientific societies of juniors engaged in A/I field, a questionnaire was developed by representatives from the JMs' boards of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), and the World Allergy Organization (WAO). RESULTS: A total of 543 questionnaires were collected from 76 regions of all continents. The geographic distribution of responders was as follows: Africa-Middle East 3.0%, Asia-Pacific 21.4%, Europe 48.2%, Latin America 12.1%, and North America 15.3%. 59.0% of responders declared that A/I is recognized as a separate specialty in their country, Europe mostly accounting for that proportion. Primary interest in the field represents the main motivation for choosing A/I specialty. Concerning involvement in scientific societies, 41.1% of responders ever attended an EAACI Congress, 20.6% an AAAAI Congress, and 20.4% a WAO Congress. According to 40.3% of responders, scientific societies do not provide enough opportunities for young members, and 96.4% believes in a more intensive cooperation between the A/I Societies. CONCLUSIONS: The survey provides the first worldwide perspective about A/I specialty. It represents the first ever example of a structured collaboration between the junior members (JMs) of the three main A/I Societies. The findings suggest the need for harmonization, at least in terms of training and formation in the field of A/I worldwide.

Globalization and anaphylaxis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To understand the impact of globalization in the management of anaphylaxis and identify potential strategies to improve patients' care and prevention. RECENT FINDINGS: Developments in the field of anaphylaxis have been consistently following these globalization trends offering possibilities of collaborations of the allergy community and integrated international initiatives to reach quality care of allergic patients worldwide. SUMMARY: Globalization is the process of interaction and integration between people, companies, and governments worldwide. Developments in the field of anaphylaxis have been following these globalization trends offering possibilities of collaborations and integrated international initiatives to reach quality care of allergic patients worldwide. Complex disorders, such as anaphylaxis, have called for complex integrative strategies, leading to a new acceptance of outside traditions. Allergy is encouraging us to accept holistic and integrative medical practices as viable options. With the dissolution of multinational boundaries and the universal free access to information, the notion of holistic and global-based care is emerging as the new reality of the medicine. We strongly believe that the integrated action plan to the management and prevention of anaphylaxis, just possible through the globalization, is a key health, political and economical move that advocates for the best practice of allergology.

Hypersensitivity reactions to non beta-lactam antimicrobial agents, a statement of the WAO special committee on drug allergy.

Antibiotics are used extensively in the treatment of various infections. Consequently, they can be considered among the most important agents involved in adverse reactions to drugs, including both allergic and non-allergic drug hypersensitivity [J Allergy Clin Immunol 113:832-836, 2004]. Most studies published to date deal mainly with reactions to the beta-lactam group, and information on hypersensitivity to each of the other antimicrobial agents is scarce. The present document has been produced by the Special Committee on Drug Allergy of the World Allergy Organization to present the most relevant information on the incidence, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, possible mechanisms, and management of hypersensitivity reactions to non beta-lactam antimicrobials for use by practitioners worldwide.

Alergia a anestésicos locales y generales y a otros medicamentos durante procedimientos quirúrgicos / Allergy to local and general anesthetics and to other drugs during surgical procedures

Las reacciones de choque e hipersensibilidad a los anestésicos locales y generales y a otros medicamentos utilizados durante los procedimientos quirúrgicos, continúan siendo un reto en la práctica clínica. Las reacciones de hipersensibilidad alérgica pueden variar en su presentación e intensidad, y pueden producir desde síntomas leves en la piel hasta la muerte.

Shock and hypersensitivity reactions to local and general anesthetics and to other drugs used during surgical procedures continue being a challenge in clinical practice. Allergic hypersensitivity can vary in presentation and intensity and might manifest itself from mild cutaneous symptoms to death.