P32 - Food anaphylaxis experience in children in Brussels

Results Age at the time of anaphylactic reaction ranges from 1 month to 15 years (median age 37 months), with 71 patients younger than 3 years (46.4%). There is a male predominance representing 58.5% of the cases. The most commonly involved allergens are: peanut (31/153, 20.3%), tree nuts (31/153, 20.2%), cow’s milk (26/153, 17%), eggs (24/153, 15.7%), fish (9/153, 5.8%) and shellfish (8/153, 5.2%). Reported symptoms are cutaneous (136/153, 88.9%), respiratory (98/153, 64%), gastrointestinal (90/153, 58.8%) and neurological (53/153, 34.6%). 97 reactions were severe with Sampson’s scores 4-5, representing 63.4% of our cases. Most of the children were treated with antihistaminic medication (91/153, 59.5%), corticoids (43/153, 28.1%), beta2-mimetics (32/153, 20.9%) and adrenaline (18/153, 11.8%). Only 17.7% of the patients used their anaphylactic emergency kit already prescribed. Hospitalization was decided in 20 cases (13.1%). Conclusion Food anaphylaxis occurred before 3 years old in almost half of the cases. Incriminated foods allergens are peanut, tree nuts, cow’s milk, eggs, fish and shellfish. In 11.1% of the cases cutaneous symptoms were absent. Adrenaline was administrated in only 11.8% of the cases and 13.1% of patients were admitted to hospital. These results highlight the fact that food anaphylaxis is not treated as recommended. Education information needs to be tailored to parents and we need to stress out that adrenaline remains the primary treatment.