Anaphylaxis

Background Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions occurring during anesthesia remain a major cause of concern for anesthesiologists. The authors report the results of a 2-yr survey of such reactions observed during anesthesia in France. Methods Between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2000, 789 patients who experienced immune-mediated (anaphylaxis) or nonimmune-mediated (anaphylactoid) reactions were referred to one of the 40 participating centers. Anaphylaxis was diagnosed on the basis of clinical history, skin tests, and/or specific immunoglobulin E assay. Results Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions were diagnosed in 518 cases (66%) and 271 cases (34%), respectively. The most common causes of anaphylaxis were neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) (n = 306, 58.2%), latex (n = 88, 16.7%), and antibiotics (n = 79, 15.1%). Rocuronium (n = 132, 43.1%) and succinylcholine (n = 69, 22.6%) were the most frequently incriminated NMBAs. Cross-reactivity between NMBAs was observed in 75.1% of cases of anaphylaxis to an NMBA. No difference was observed between anaphylactoid and anaphylactic reactions when the incidences of atopy, asthma, or drug intolerance were compared. However, atopy, asthma, and food allergy were significantly more frequent in the case of latex allergy when compared with NMBA allergy. Clinical manifestations were more severe in anaphylaxis. The positive predictive value of tryptase for the diagnosis of anaphylaxis was 92.6%; the negative predictive value was 54.3%. The diagnostic value of specific NMBA immunoglobulin E assays was confirmed. Conclusions These results further corroborate the need for systematic screening in the case of anaphylactoid reaction during anesthesia and for the constitution of allergoanesthesia centers to provide expert advice to anesthesiologists and allergists.

Anaphylactic and Anaphylactoid Reactions Occurring during Anesthesia in France in 1999–2000

Emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions—Guidelines for healthcare providers

Between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1998, 467 patients were referred to one of the allergo-anaesthesia centres of the French GERAP (Groupe d'Etudes des Reactions Anaphylactoides Peranesthesiques) network and were diagnosed as having anaphylaxis during anaesthesia. Diagnosis was established on the basis of clinical history, skin tests and/or a specific IgE assay. The most frequent cause of anaphylaxis was a neuromuscular blocking agent (69.2%). Latex was less frequently incriminated (12.1%) than in previous reports. A significant difference was observed between the incidence of anaphylactic reactions observed with each neuromuscular blocking agent and the number of patients who received each drug during anaesthesia in France throughout the study period (P<0.0001). Succinylcholine and rocuronium were most frequently incriminated. Clinical reactions to neuromuscular blocking drugs were more severe than to latex. The diagnostic value of specific IgE assays was confirmed. These results are consistent with changes in the epidemiology of anaphylaxis related to anaesthesia and are an incentive for the further development of allergo-anaesthesia clinical networks.

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Anaphylaxis during anaesthesia. Results of a two‐year survey in France

Phillip Lieberman, MD; Richard A. Nicklas, MD; Christopher Randolph, MD; John Oppenheimer, MD; David Bernstein, MD; Jonathan Bernstein, MD; Anne Ellis, MD; David B.K. Golden, MD; Paul Greenberger, MD; Steven Kemp, MD; David Khan, MD; Dennis Ledford, MD; Jay Lieberman, MD; Dean Metcalfe, MD; Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, MD; Scott Sicherer, MD; Dana Wallace, MD; Joann Blessing-Moore, MD; David Lang, MD; Jay M. Portnoy, MD; Diane Schuller, MD; Sheldon Spector, MD; and Stephen A. Tilles, MD Chief Editors: Phillip Lieberman, MD; Richard A. Nicklas, MD; John Oppenheimer, MD; Christopher Randolph, MD Members of the Joint Task Force: David Bernstein, MD; Joann Blessing-Moore, MD; David Khan, MD; David Lang, MD; Richard Nicklas, MD; John Oppenheimer, MD; Jay M. Portnoy, MD; Christopher Randolph, MD; Diane Schuller, MD; Sheldon Spector, MD; Stephen A. Tilles, MD; Dana Wallace, MD Practice ParameterWorkgroup: David Bernstein, MD; Jonathan Bernstein, MD; Anne Ellis, MD; David B.K. Golden, MD; David Khan, MD; Dennis Ledford, MD; Jay Lieberman, MD; Dean Metcalfe, MD; Dana Wallace, MD

Anaphylaxis—a practice parameter update 2015

Since 1984 an epidemiological survey of anaphylactoid reactions occurring during anaesthesia has been obtained in France with regular repeated inquiries by the Perioperative Anaphylactoid Reactions Study Group (Gerap). The members of this group collected during the study period cases of patients having suffered from an anaphylactoid reaction and subsequently tested in their allergoanaesthetic outpatient clinic. The three previous surveys published in the Annales francaises d'anesthesie et de reanimation in 1990, 1993 (in English) and 1996 included 1,240, 1,585 and 1,730 patients respectively. The current survey concerned 1,648 patients, tested by the GERAP (38 diagnostic centres) from July 1994 to December 1996. The diagnostic tests for IgE anaphylaxis were cutaneous tests (prick tests and intradermal tests), which minimal dilutions for specific positive skin test were previously determined by comparison with control subjects. The cutaneous tests were performed by all the centres. These tests were associated, in 29 centres, with the detection of specific IgEs against quaternary ammonium compound and inhibition test, and detection of IgEs against propofol, thiopental and latex. Moreover, leukocyte histamine release test was performed in seven centres. The mechanism of the reaction was: anaphylaxis in 692 patients (characteristic clinical symptoms and positive allergological tests), anaphylactoid reactions in 611 patients (characteristic clinical symptoms and negative allergological tests), and other causes in 345 patients (unusual clinical symptoms and negative allergological tests). An immune mechanism was found in 53% of the reactions, with characteristic clinical symptoms occurring during anaesthesia. The 692 cases of anaphylaxis were due to 734 substances (double anaphylaxis in 42 patients): muscle relaxants (61.6%), latex (16.6%), antibiotics (8.3%), hypnotics (5.1%), colloids (3.1%), opioids (2.7%) and others (2.6%) among which aprotinin (four cases) ethylene oxide (five cases) local anaesthetics (two cases). The muscle relaxants implicated in anaphylactic reactions included: vecuronium (n = 130), atracurium (n = 107), suxamethonium (n = 106), pancuronium (n = 41), rocuronium (n = 41), mivacurium (n = 18), and gallamine (n = 9). These results reflected French anaesthetic practice, except for suxamethonium (5% of the French market share of curares). In 70% of the patients who were allergic to one muscle relaxant, cross-sensitivity was found with the other relaxants. The comparison with the three previous surveys confirms that the mechanism of about half of the anaphylatoid reactions occurring during anaesthesia is of immune origin, due to specific IgE antibodies. Muscle relaxants remain the most common cause of anaphylaxis, followed by latex whose incidence seems to decrease, whereas the incidence of anaphylaxis to antibiotics increases. Incidence of reactions to suxamethonium decreased, corresponding however to one quarter of all muscle relaxant anaphylaxis, similar with vecuronium and atracurium. For this survey, more clinical information was obtained in 583 patients, allowing the following conclusions: reactions were always more severe in case of anaphylaxis than nonspecific histamine release; reactions occurred more frequently in females (F/M = 2.5); 17% of patients allergic to a muscle relaxant were never anaesthetized beforehand; a history of reactions during previous anaesthetics was a risk factor for a reaction during subsequent anaesthetics; neither drug allergy nor atopy (except for latex allergy) were a predisposing factor for reactions with anaesthetic agents. Considering that in 1996, 8 million anaesthetics were administered in France, of which 2.5 million included the use of muscle relaxants, the overall incidence for anaphylactic reactions, all agents included, was evaluated as 1 in 13,000 anaesthetics, while the incidence of anaphylaxis to muscle relaxants was 1 in 6,500 anaesthetics.

M.C. Laxenaire

Papers

Épidémiologie des réactions anaphylactoïdes peranesthésiques. Quatrième enquête multicentrique (juillet 1994-décembre 1996)