Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2010 Jun;30(2):110-115.

Clinical Features of Food-Induced Anaphylaxis in the Southeastern Coasted Area of Korea

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Food-induced anaphylaxis accounts for the most proportion of the anaphylaxis treated at the emergency department. In Korea, reports regarding food-induced anaphylaxis are very few.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the general characteristics and clinical features of food-induced anaphylaxis in the southeastern coasted area of Korea. Method: A retrospective study was conducted on the patients visiting the emergency department at Ulsan University Hospital between 2000 and 2009. We reviewed patients' medical records diagnosed with food-induced anaphylaxis and other related diseases. RESULT: We identified 66 patients with food-induced anaphylaxis. The mean age of the patients was 41.9 years (SD+/-13.8). The inciting agent included seafoods in 29 cases (43.9%), wheat in 5 cases (7.6%), pork meat in 5 cases (7.6%), buckwheat in 2 cases (3.0) and cowmilk in 2 case (3%). Mucocutaneous manifestations were the most common, followed by respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and neurologic manifestations in decreasing order of frequency. There were 32 patients (48.5%) with moderate anaphylaxis and 51.5 patients (51.5%) with severe anaphylaxis. There were no significant correlations between severity and epidemiologic factors including age, sex, comorbid disease and smoking.
CONCLUSION
We found that seafoods are major causative agents of food-induced anaphylaxis in the southeastern coastal area of Korea. Therapeutic fluid was more frequently required, and the time from arrival at the emergency department to discharge was longer in patients with severe anaphylaxis.

MeSH Terms

Anaphylaxis
Emergencies
Epidemiologic Factors
Fagopyrum
Humans
Korea
Meat
Medical Records
Neurologic Manifestations
Retrospective Studies
Seafood
Smoke
Smoking
Triticum
Smoke