A multicenter anaphylaxis registry in Korea: Clinical characteristics and acute treatment details from infants to older adults

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although the prevalence of anaphylaxis is increasing worldwide, the large-scale studies in Asia evaluating anaphylaxis in all age groups are limited. We aimed to collect more precise and standardized data on anaphylaxis in Korea using the first multicenter web-based registry. METHODS: Twenty-two departments from 16 hospitals participated from November 2016 to December 2018. A web-based case report form, designed by allergy specialists, was used to collect anaphylaxis data. RESULTS: Within the 2-year period, 558 anaphylaxis cases were registered. The age of registered patients ranged from 2 months to 84 years, and 60% were aged <18 years. In children and adolescents, foods (84.8%) were the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by drugs (7.2%); in adults, drugs (58.3%) were the most common cause, followed by foods (28.3%) and insect venom (8.1%). The onset time was