New Food Allergy Studies

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has just wrapped up their annual conference. Many studies related to food allergy were presented at the conference. Here are some interesting highlights:

"Use of Epinephrine for the Treatment of Anaphylaxis by US Emergency Medical Service(EMS)Personnel in the Pre-Hospital Setting"- Only 17 states require EMS-Basics to have epinephrine available, and 15 states do not require any level of EMS to carry epinephrine for anaphylaxis treatment.


"Proactive Egg Ingestion in High-risk Patients with Severe Egg Allergy" Twenty-nine severely egg allergic patients were introduced to egg in carefully controlled increments. Eighty-six percent were able to eat one fourth of cooked whole egg within 10 months.

"What Does a Patient with Anaphylaxis Do before Seeking Medical Attention?" Many people delay medical treatment of a food allergy reaction because they believe the symptoms will subside over time. Of those who sought medical care for a reaction, only 30% used self-injectable epinephrine prior to arrival for treatment. This study concluded that more education is needed as time is critical when treating an allergic reaction.

"The School Nurse's Perception of Food Allergy - A Statewide Survey" A survey conducted in Mississippi revealed that students were more likely to have food allergy action plans if the school nurse received information on food allergies from parents or a physician, or if the student attended a school in an urban area. The study showed that 97% of the nurses surveyed had at least one child with food allergy in the school. Only 30% of schools had action plans for children with food allergy.

Want more detail on any of these highlights? Read the summaries here.

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