Study IDs Specific Anaphylactic Triggers Linked to Symptoms, Treatment

THURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Specific anaphylactic triggers are associated with symptoms and treatments, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in the International Archives of Allergy and Immunology.

Roy Khalaf, from McGill University in Montreal, and colleagues examined sociodemographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, and management of anaphylaxis among adults in a cross-sectional study. Data were included for 1,135 adults presenting to emergency departments with drug-induced anaphylaxis (DIA), venom-induced anaphylaxis, peanut-induced anaphylaxis, shellfish-induced anaphylaxis, tree-nut induced anaphylaxis (TIA), and nut-induced anaphylaxis (NIA) from April 2011 to November 2023.

The researchers found that 50.3 percent of the patients presented with food-induced anaphylaxis. Hypotension was more likely associated with DIA in terms of symptomatology (adjusted odds ratio, 1.20). Alcohol was more likely associated with NIA when adjusted for age at reaction and male sex (adjusted odds ratio, 1.51). In terms of management, TIA was more likely associated with inpatient epinephrine (adjusted odds ratio, 2.05), while DIA and TIA were less and more likely associated with outpatient antihistamine, respectively (adjusted odds ratios, 0.68 and 1.81, respectively).

“While our findings highlight associations between specific anaphylaxis triggers and symptom presentation, these associations do not imply a universal early warning system for diagnosing anaphylaxis,” the authors write.

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