Clinical Features of Patients with Anaphylaxis at a Single Hospital / 소아알레르기및호흡기학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The studies concerning the clinical features of patients with anaphylaxis, who meet the newly established diagnostic criteria, are reported in Korea, but comparative studies regarding the clinical features of children and adult patients with anaphylaxis are lacking. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical features of the children and adults with anaphylaxis, who meet the new diagnostic criteria at a single hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, urticaria, and angioedema, including inpatients, outpatients and emergency room visited patients, at the National Medical Center from July, 2005 to August, 2011. The clinical characteristics of children and adults, who met the new diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis, were analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 91 patients with anaphylaxis. Sixteen were children and 75 were adults. The sex ratio (malefemale) and the mean age were 11.7 and 9.6 years among children, respectively, and 12.3 and 42.3 years, respectively, among adults. The most common cause of anaphylaxis based on clinical history was foods in 15 children (93.7%) and 35 adults (46.7%). Twelve children (75%) and 36 adults (48%) were rediagnosed with anaphylaxis. Patients with cardiovascular symptoms and severe severity were 1 (6.3%) and 1 (6.3%), respectively, among children, and 28 (37.3%) and 23 (30.3%), respectively, among adults. CONCLUSION: We rediagnosed some cases of anaphylaxis, using the new diagnostic criteria and most of the cases were diagnosed initially as urticaria or angioedema. The adults had more severe and more cardiovascular symptoms than children. In the future, a nationwide, multiinstitutional research will be necessary for the prevalence and the clinical features of anaphylaxis by the new diagnostic criteria in Korea.