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Original Article

 

Self-Management of Anaphylaxis Is Not Optimal

 

Múgica-García MV1, Tejedor-Alonso MA1, Moro-Moro M1, Esteban-Hernández J2, Rojas-Perez-Ezquerra PE1, Vila-Albelda C1, Rosado-Ingelmo A1

1Allergy Unit, Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón, Alcorcón, Spain
2Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain

J Investig Allergol Clin Immunol 2015; Vol. 25(6): 408-415

 

 Abstract


Background: Our objective was to ascertain the degree of adherence to recommendations made to patients with anaphylaxis, most of whom were attended in our allergy outpatient clinic.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 1512 patients who had experienced anaphylaxis and completed by 887. The chosen definition of anaphylaxis was that of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network Symposium. We evaluated the prescription, purchase, and use of epinephrine auto-injectors and oral drugs, as well as the avoidance of allergens involved in previous anaphylaxis episodes.

Results: Most patients (94.53%) reported that they had received advice on avoidance of responsible allergens after their allergy workup. Epinephrine auto-injectors and oral drugs were prescribed according to the subtype of anaphylaxis. Only 30.74% of patients used the epinephrine auto-injector; 54.26% took oral medication. Most patients (88.3%) avoided the allergen.

Conclusions: Despite general agreement that anaphylaxis occurring in the community should be treated with epinephrine auto-injectors, use of these devices to treat recurrences was low in our patients. Oral medication intake was more common than the epinephrine auto-injector in all subtypes. In order to increase adherence to epinephrine auto-injectors, it is necessary to think beyond the measures recommended during regular visits to allergy outpatient clinics.

Key words: Anaphylaxis recurrence. Self-management. Not optimal. Epinephrine. Auto-injectors.