What constitutes a severe food allergy reaction?

IgE-mediated food allergy (FA) accounts for the leading cause of anaphylaxis in children, though fatal reactions remain rare.1,2,3 Strict adherence to avoidance diets and use of FA emergency management plans can decrease reaction rates significantly, with one study demonstrating a 60-fold reduced frequency of severe FA reactions.4 However, which patients experience severe vs mild symptoms, as well as contributory factors, remains an area of active study.5,6 Currently, no unified definition of a severe FA reaction exists, calling into question which symptom or compilation of symptoms during a reaction constitute a severe label.
Source: Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Letters Source Type: research