Epinephrine Autoinjector Prescribing Trends: An Outpatient Population-Based Study in Olmsted County, Minnesota

Sesame-induced anaphylaxis in pediatric patients from the cross-Canada anaphylaxis registry

BACKGROUND

Sesame can cause severe allergic reactions and is a priority allergen in Canada.

OBJECTIVE

To assess clinical characteristics and management of pediatric sesame-induced anaphylaxis and identify factors associated with epinephrine treatment.

METHODS

Between 2011 and 2021, children with sesame-induced anaphylaxis presenting to 7 emergency departments (ED) in 4 Canadian provinces and 1 regional emergency medical service were enrolled in the Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry. Standardized recruitment forms provided data on symptoms, severity, triggers, and management. Multivariate logistic regression evaluated associations with epinephrine treatment pre-ED and multiple epinephrine dosages.

RESULTS

Of all food-induced anaphylactic reactions (n = 3279 children), sesame accounted for 4.0% (n = 130 children), of which 61.5% were boys, and the average (SD) age was 5.0 (4.9) years. Hummus containing sesame paste triggered 58.8% of reactions. In the pre-ED setting, 32.3% received epinephrine, and it was more likely to be used in boys (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.50) and those with a known food allergy (aOR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.11-1.68]). In the ED, 47.7% of cases received epinephrine, with older children more likely to receive multiple epinephrine doses (aOR, 1.00; 95% CI, 1.00-1.02).

CONCLUSION

In Canada, hummus is the major trigger of sesame-induced anaphylaxis. Knowledge translation focused on prompt epinephrine use and product-labeling policies are required to limit sesame reactions in communities.

Time trends in adrenaline auto-injector dispensing patterns using Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data

AIM

Adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) dispensing data, a community-based proxy for number of individuals at risk of anaphylaxis, provides complementary information on time trends of anaphylaxis risk in addition to hospital admission data. We examined trends of AAI dispensing over a 10-year period (from January 2005 to December 2014) in Australia.

METHODS

Individuals with dispensed AAI were identified from a 10% random sample of Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data. PBS is the Australian national drug subsidy programme covering all Australians. Cumulative incidence and incidence rates of individuals with AAI were calculated. We assessed difference by age, sex, state and time trends.

RESULTS

The cumulative incidence of individuals with AAI in 2005-2014 was 75.43/100 000 (95%CI 75.07-75.80/100 000). Incidence rate of individuals with AAI increased from 2005 to 2014 (from 71.47 to 82.07 per 100 000 person-years) although this varied by state. Over the time assessed, there was a shift to more prescriptions being provided by general practitioners (GP) rather than specialists. Children (0-19 years) were more likely to have been prescribed an AAI from a specialist and adults from a GP.

CONCLUSION

Overall, an increase in dispensed AAI mirrored other evidence for a rising prevalence of allergy. This increase could also reflect changes in prescribing practices or increased awareness and education of health-care professionals on anaphylaxis and indications for prescribing AAI. The rising rate of AAI prescribed by GPs compared to decreasing rates by specialists suggests a changing response of the Australian health-care system to the increased burden of anaphylaxis.

Management of Anaphylaxis in Infants and Toddlers

Anaphylaxis is a systemic allergic reaction that can be caused by food, drugs, insect bites, or unknown triggers in infants and toddlers. Anaphylaxis rates are increasing. Infants and toddlers may have increased exposure to known and unknown allergens, decreased ability to describe their symptoms, and an expanded differential diagnosis for consideration on presentation. The most common symptoms in these age groups are cutaneous and gastrointestinal. Age-specific language may be helpful for caregivers to identify and describe the symptoms of anaphylaxis in infants and toddlers. Long-term management of anaphylaxis includes allergy evaluation to guide avoidance and assess prognosis and education on allergic reaction management; this incorporates the prescription of epinephrine autoinjector and provision of an allergy emergency plan.

Increasing incidence of anaphylaxis in Hong Kong from 2009 to 2019-discrepancies of anaphylaxis care between adult and paediatric patients

BACKGROUND

Anaphylaxis has been increasing in developed countries but there is very little published data on the burden of anaphylaxis and the pattern of adrenaline autoinjector (AAI) prescription from Asia. We aim to determine the incidence rates of anaphylaxis and prescription rates of AAI over the past decade in Hong Kong.

METHODS

Using a centralized electronic database of Hong Kong's sole public-funded healthcare provider, we obtained and analysed all patients between 2009 and 2019 with physician-reported diagnosis of anaphylaxis. Incidence rates were calculated using population statistics as the denominator. Patients' prescriptions on discharge were collected to determine the AAI prescription rates.

RESULTS

The overall 10-year estimated incidence rate of anaphylaxis was 3.57 per 100,000 person-years. An increasing trend over time across both paediatric and adult populations from 2009 to 2014 was found, which remained stable until 2019. This was more marked among the paediatric population (paediatric vs adult incidence rate ratio in 2019: 3.51 [95% CI 1.12-2.66] vs 1.82 [95% CI 1.05-1.60]). There was an overall increasing rate of AAI prescription for patients admitted for anaphylaxis, but the overall AAI prescription rate was less than 15% and was significantly less likely to be prescribed for the adult compared to paediatric patients (36.5% vs. 89.4%, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing trend of anaphylaxis incidence rates over the past decade is evident in Asian populations, with a discrepantly low rate of AAI prescription, particularly in the adult patients.

A population-based epidemiological study of anaphylaxis using national big data in Korea: trends in age-specific prevalence and epinephrine use in 2010-2014

Background

Previous reports on anaphylaxis in Asia are limited to relatively small-scale studies. We performed this study to identify the nationwide prevalence of anaphylaxis and epinephrine prescription rates by age groups.

Methods

The total number of patients, yearly and overall prevalence, percentage of emergency department visits, and epinephrine prescription rates were calculated for patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis based on the Korean National Health Insurance database from 2010 to 2014.

Results

The mean prevalence of anaphylaxis in Korea was 26.23 (95% confidence interval, CI 25.78-26.68) per 100,000 person-years during the 5 years. It increased from 20.55 (95% CI 20.15-20.10) in 2010 to 35.33 (95% CI 34.81-35.85) per 100,000 person-years in 2014. The average prevalence was > 35 per 100,000 person-years among 50-69 year-olds, and the mean crude prevalence in children was 22.3 (0-2 years), 17.3 (3-6 years), 12.1 (7-12 years), and 14.9 (13-17 years) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The overall prevalence increased 1.7-fold, with the highest rate of increase in 0-2 years of age. The overall percentage of emergent anaphylaxis patients was 88.4%, and the prevalence of emergent anaphylaxis increased from 18.63 (95% CI 18.25-19.01) to 31.28 (95% CI 30.79-31.77) per 100,000 person-years. In-hospital epinephrine prescription rate increased from 31.5 to 39.7%.

Conclusions

The mean prevalence of anaphylaxis in Korea was 26.2 per 100,000 person-years during the study period. The total number of anaphylaxis patients increased 1.7-fold from 2010 to 2014, with the most noticeable increment being in young children.

Epinephrine Autoinjectors: New Data, New Problems

Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis. Despite this, there have been identified gaps in the management of anaphylaxis including infrequent or delayed use of epinephrine for acute allergic reactions, as well as inadequate epinephrine autoinjector (EAI) training, and prescription rates of these devices for patients at risk. This paper reviews new data, and new problems in recently published literature on EAIs. A database search was conducted for publications between January 2015 and February 2017 using keywords related to EAIs including their functionality and features, carriage, prescription rates, barriers, and side effects. Eligibility criteria included patients at risk for anaphylaxis, caregivers, and health care professionals. Experimental studies and observational studies were included. Of 1,737 potentially relevant articles, 19 were used for analysis. These articles addressed specific aspects of an EAI, including (1) information on features and functionality; (2) prescriptions; (3) training on their use; and (4) carriage and use at the time of reaction by patients, schools, camps, emergency departments, and paramedics. Our review highlights that existing gaps in anaphylaxis management remain unaddressed. Patient needs are largely unmet, and very few studies are being designed to clarify and instill best practice, and to determine how to increase adherence to existing anaphylaxis guidelines through integrated knowledge translation strategies.

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice - 2016 Year in Review

As editors, we concluded that it would be helpful to our readers to write a Year in Review article that highlights the Review, Original, and Clinical Communication articles published in 2016 in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. We summarized articles on the topics of asthma, rhinitis/rhinosinusitis, food allergy, anaphylaxis, drug allergy, urticarial/angioedema, eosinophilic disorders, and immunodeficiency. Within each topic, epidemiologic findings are presented, relevant aspects of prevention are described, and diagnostic and therapeutic advances are enumerated. Diagnostic tools described include history, skin tests, and in vitro tests. Treatments discussed include behavioral therapy, allergen avoidance therapy, positive and negative effects of pharmacologic therapy, and various forms of immunologic and desensitization management. We hope this review will help you, our readers, consolidate and use this extensive and practical knowledge for the benefit of your patients.