Anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction most commonly caused by certain foods or insect stings, is twice as common as has been previously reported, according results of a Mayo Clinic study published this month in Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.
The researchers, who studied incidence of anaphylaxis over a 10-year period in Rochester, Minn. as part of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, found that on average there were 50 cases per 100,000 persons per year. Children were up to 50 percent more likely to experience an episode.
Wyatt Decker, M.D., the lead author of the study, provides background on anaphylaxis and its treatment and discusses the study findings and implications in the video below.
Hi,
This was a great episode. Well done and informative!
Thanks,
Lucy
I have exercise induced anaphylaxis, and have had since childhood, but it went un diagnosed until 2006, and I am a middle aged woman. I now have to carry an EPI pen.
I am an endurance athlete, so this is quite frustrating, because it is a hit and miss when I will suffer an attack. It is a hit and miss as to whether I will get it when I run shortly after eating. There have been plenty of times I have run on a full stomach, and only and hour or two after eating, and I have had no problems, and there have been those few instances when I ran on a full stomach and have suffered a severe anaphylaxis reaction. There are times when I have eaten foods known to cause exercise induced anaphylaxis; such as tuna, apples or grapes, and I have had no problems, but there are times when these foods have caused a severe anaphylaxis reaction. Considering I run marathons, ultramarathons and do long distance bike rides, this darn illness makes it hard to eat foods and carbohydrates I need to fuel such long endurance races. It would be nice to find a sports nutritionist that could help me make out some sort of diet so I could acquire the fuel I need for my races, and I would not have to fear having an anaphylaxis reaction. I can’t find a nutritionist where I live that can deal with this, because they are not familiar with this illness! There needs to be more awareness for exercise induced anaphylaxis, because many health care professionals, or the public in general are not aware of this illness. When I have mentioned to some health care professionals that I have this illness, they right away think I will only suffer a bad Asthma attack when I exercise, but I have to explain to them it is even worse. Contrary to the idea that people out grow this when they get older, well, I sure wish my immune system would. I may live to be 100 and never out grow EIA.
Lily, Have you found any treatment or more information to help with exercise induced anaphylaxis? My 19 year old daughter has been having this happen and we have been to the emergency room 2 times. I would love more information and I am looking for a research center where we can find help.
my son suffers with the same thing carries an epi pen but luckily havnt ad to use it yet as the (loratadine ) he takes every day seem to control it even if he feels a reaction starting he takes the loratadine n he says it helps ask ur gp