Asia Pac Allergy.  2015 Oct;5(4):216-221. 10.5415/apallergy.2015.5.4.216.

First study of pattern of anaphylaxis in a large tertiary care hospital in Saudi Arabia

Affiliations
  • 1Section of Allergy & Immunology, Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh 3354, Saudi Arabia. fsheikh96@kfshrc.edu.sa
  • 2Medical and Critical Care Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Care, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh 3354, Saudi Arabia.
  • 3Department of Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh 3354, Saudi Arabia.
  • 4Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh 3354, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that may cause death. The signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis have not been examined in the Saudi population before.
OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the signs, symptoms, triggers, and demographic patterns of patients treated for anaphylaxis at a large tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
METHODS
All the patients who were prescribed new prescriptions of adrenaline auto-injectors (AAs) between February 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011 were included in this study. Information was collected using a standardized form.
RESULTS
There were 238 patients who were analyzed. The median age at the time of first AA prescription was 15.5 years. Female to male ratio was 52:48 and 54% of the subjects were more than 18 years of age. There were some differences in the presenting signs and symptoms observed in our study compared with similar studies from around the world. Urticaria and angioedema were the most common at about 70% across all ages, followed by shortness of breath at 28%. Some triggers were found to be more common in our region. Food was the commonest trigger for anaphylaxis including tree nuts, egg, and sesame. Drug allergy was also a common trigger, with penicillins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs being the commonest. Regarding insect allergy, samsam ant was the commonest trigger in our study.
CONCLUSION
To our knowledge, this is the first study on anaphylaxis in Saudi Arabia. Some of the manifestations of anaphylaxis are significantly different in our population study compared to previously published data from other parts of the world. While managing anaphylaxis, we should be mindful of these differences. This improved understanding should help reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with anaphylaxis in our region.

Keyword

Adrenaline; Anaphylaxis; Saudi Arabia

MeSH Terms

Anaphylaxis*
Angioedema
Ants
Drug Hypersensitivity
Dyspnea
Epinephrine
Female
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Insects
Male
Mortality
Nuts
Ovum
Penicillins
Prescriptions
Saudi Arabia*
Sesamum
Tertiary Healthcare*
Trees
Urticaria
Epinephrine
Penicillins

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Common triggers. Comparison of triggers between children and adults. Incidence specified according to age. NSAID, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug.


Cited by  1 articles

Great learning, much networking, and friendship
Yoon-Seok Chang
Asia Pac Allergy. 2015;5(4):191-192.    doi: 10.5415/apallergy.2015.5.4.191.


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