Epidemiologic and clinical features of anaphylaxis in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the characteristics of anaphylaxis in Korea or even in Asia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of anaphylaxis and the clinical features of patients with anaphylaxis in a Korean tertiary care hospital.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective review from January 1, 2000, through July 31, 2006, of 138 patients with anaphylaxis, including inpatients, outpatients, and emergency department visitors, in the Seoul National University Hospital.

RESULTS: Among 978,146 patients, 138 (0.014%) had anaphylaxis. Two cardiopulmonary resuscitations were performed and 1 death occurred. The total mortality rate of anaphylactic patients was 0.0001%. The causes of anaphylaxes were drug (35.3%), food (21.3%), food-dependent exercise-induced (13.2%), idiopathic (13.2%), insect stings (11.8%), exercise induced (2.9%), blood products (1.5%), and latex (0.7%). Radiocontrast media and buckwheat were the leading causes of drug and food anaphylaxis, respectively. The organs most frequently involved in the anaphylaxis were cutaneous (95.7%), cardiovascular (76.8%), and respiratory (74.6%). The most common manifestations were dyspnea (71.3%), urticaria (81.9%), and angioedema (69.4%). Three of 138 patients (2.2%) had biphasic reactions.

CONCLUSIONS: The incidence, mortality rate, and clinical features of Korean patients with anaphylaxis were similar to rates for patients from other countries, despite some differences in causative agents.