http://www.aacijournal.com/content/7/S1/S6
REVIEW
Open Access
Anaphylaxis
Harold Kim1,2*, David Fischer3
Abstract
Anaphylaxis is an acute, potentially fatal systemic reaction with varied mechanisms and clinical presentations.
Although prompt recognition and treatment of anaphylaxis are imperative, both patients and healthcare
professionals often fail to recognize and diagnose early signs and symptoms of the condition. Clinical
manifestations vary widely, however, the most common signs are cutaneous symptoms, including angioedema,
urticaria, erythema and pruritus. Immediate intramuscular administration of epinephrine into the lateral thigh is
first-line therapy, even if the diagnosis is uncertain. The mainstays of long-term management include specialist
assessment, avoidance measures, and the provision of an epinephrine auto-injector and an individualized
anaphylaxis action plan. This article provides an overview of the causes, clinical features, diagnosis and acute and
long-term management of this serious allergic reaction.
Introduction
Anaphylaxis is defined as a serious allergic reaction that
is rapid in onset and may cause death [1,2]. The prevalence of anaphylaxis is estimated to be as high as 2%,
and appears to be rising, particularly in the younger age
group [3-5].
The more rapidly anaphylaxis develops, the more
likely the reaction is to be severe and life-threatening
[4]. Therefore, prompt recognition and management of
the condition are imperative. However, anaphylaxis is
often under-recognized and treated inadequately. Diagnosis and management are challenging since reactions
are often immediate and unexpected. Furthermore,
there is no single test to diagnose anaphylaxis in routine
clinical practice [3,6]. This article will provide an overview of the causes and clinical features of anaphylaxis as
well as strategies for the accurate diagnosis and management of the condition.
Causes
Most episodes of anaphylaxis are triggered through an
immunologic mechanism involving immunoglobulin E
(IgE) which leads to mast cell and basophil activation
and the subsequent release of inflammatory mediators
such as histamine, leukotrienes, tryptase and prostaglandins. Although any substance has the potential to cause
anaphylaxis, the most common causes of IgE-mediated
* Correspondence: hlkimkw@gmail.com
1
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
2011 Kim and Fischer; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
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Diagnosis
The diagnosis of anaphylaxis is based primarily on
clinical signs and symptoms, as well as a detailed
description of the acute episode, including antecedent
activities and events. Diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis
were published by a multidisciplinary group of experts
in 2005 and 2006, and are shown in Table 3[1,2]. A
diagnosis of anaphylaxis is highly likely when any one
of the criteria listed in Table 3 is fulfilled. Since the
evaluation and diagnosis of anaphylaxis is often complex, referral to an allergist with training and expertise
in the identification and management of anaphylaxis
should be considered.
History
Gastrointestinal:
Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Respiratory:
Upper airway:
Nasal congestion
Sneezing
Hoarseness
Cough
Oropharyngeal or laryngeal edema
Neurologic:
Light-headedness
Dizziness
Confusion
Oral:
Itching
Tingling or swelling of the lips, tongue or palate
Cardiovascular:
Hypotension
Dizziness
Syncope
Tachycardia
Other:
Sense of impending doom
Anxiety
Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
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Treatment
Acute management
Differential diagnosis
Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
http://www.aacijournal.com/content/7/S1/S6
Long-term management
The mainstays of long-term management for patients
who have experienced an anaphylactic episode include:
specialist assessment, a prescription for an epinephrine
auto-injector, patient and caregiver education on avoidance measures, and the provision of an individualized
anaphylaxis action plan.
Specialist assessment
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Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
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Anaphylaxis?
Assess ABC:
Intramuscular epinephrine
x
x
hospital
Lie patient flat and raise patients
legs (if breathing not impaired)
Supportive therapy:
Inhaled beta2-agonists (for
bronchospasms)
x Antihistamines (for
cutaneous symptoms)
x Vasopressors
x Glucocorticosteroids
x
No improvement
IV epinephrine*
Figure 1 Simplified algorithm for the acute management of anaphylaxis. IV: intravenous *Should be given by a physician trained in the use
of IV epinephrine with capacity for continuous blood pressure and cardiac monitoring
Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
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Conclusions
Anaphylaxis is an acute, potentially fatal systemic reaction with varied mechanisms and clinical presentations.
Prompt recognition and treatment of anaphylaxis are
imperative; however, both patients and healthcare professionals often fail to recognize and diagnose anaphylaxis in its early stages. Diagnostic criteria which take
into account the variable clinical manifestations of anaphylaxis are now available and can assist healthcare providers in the early recognition of the condition.
Immediate intramuscular administration of epinephrine
into the lateral thigh is first-line therapy for anaphylaxis.
Acute management may also involve oxygen therapy,
intravenous fluids, and adjunctive therapies such as antihistamines or inhaled beta2-agonists. The mainstays of
long-term management include specialist assessment, a
prescription for an epinephrine auto-injector, patient
and caregiver education on avoidance measures, and the
provision of an individualized anaphylaxis action plan.
Kim and Fischer Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2011, 7(Suppl 1):S6
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doi:10.1186/1710-1492-7-S1-S6
Cite this article as: Kim and Fischer: Anaphylaxis. Allergy, Asthma &
Clinical Immunology 2011 7(Suppl 1):S6.