The previous figures for the amount of people admitted to ER (the US equivalent of A&E) with food-triggered anaphylaxis were around 30,000 per year. But a new study, based on figures from an annual government survey of hospitals and two recent medical studies, puts the actual figure at about 200,000 per year, 90,000 of which are for the more severe reactions such as food anaphylaxis. Lead researcher Sunday Clark reports that although the more serious reactions are still fairly rare, they are now more common than previously thought.
For example, one report found that there were 125,000 visits to ER for food allergies in 2003, with about 14,000 for anaphylaxis. Clark reports that it is also possible that a growing number of Americans have been heading to ER for food reactions in more recent years, as people have become more aware of food allergies.
One study found that more children are showing up at ER with serious food reactions than before: the number of food-induced reactions treated at the Children’s Hospital in Boston more than doubled between 2001 (164 cases) and 2006 (391 cases).
The increase is in line with the national increase in the number of children being diagnosed with food allergies, and Clark emphasised the importance of recognising food allergy reactions, especially anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening. Food allergy symptoms range from mild tingling, hives and an upset stomach to anaphylaxis which can include sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness, fainting or difficulty breathing.
The prevalence of food allergy among children is so far unexplained, with the number of children with food allergy up 18% from 1997 to 3 million in 2007. Theories include the changes in diet and the ‘hygiene hypothesis’ which stated that the cleanliness of our homes means the immune system is less exposed to germs, making it more vulnerable to normally benign substances like food proteins.
Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
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