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J Pediatr Intensive Care 2019; 08(02): 113-116
DOI: 10.1055/s-0039-1683869
Rapid Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Incidence and Outcomes of Severe Anaphylaxis in Paediatric Patients in Atlantic Canada

Kristina Krmpotic
1   Department of Paediatric Critical Care, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
2   Department of Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
,
Caroline Weisser
3   Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
,
Alexandra O'Hanley
1   Department of Paediatric Critical Care, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
,
Christian Soder
1   Department of Paediatric Critical Care, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, Canada
2   Department of Critical Care, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
› Author Affiliations Financial Disclosure The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
Further Information

Publication History

05 December 2019

29 March 2019

Publication Date:
25 March 2019 (online)

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Abstract

Little is known about severe anaphylaxis in the pediatric population. In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to describe the characteristics of children who required admission from an outpatient setting to one of two Pediatric Intensive Care Units in Atlantic Canada with a primary diagnosis of anaphylaxis. During the 10-year study period, there were 12 admissions (58% females) for a population incidence of 2.4 per 100,000 children. Both patients who died were adolescents with a witnessed anaphylaxis event, immediately recognized as such after exposure to a known allergen, with immediate access to epinephrine that was not administered until after cardiorespiratory arrest occurred. This study highlights the high mortality associated with severe anaphylaxis and the ongoing need for education surrounding the early administration of intramuscular epinephrine.

Keywords

anaphylaxis - child - critical care - management - pediatric
 

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