INTRODUCTION
Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction to foods
such as peanuts, nuts and shellfish, drugs such as penicillin or general
anaesthetic agents, latex, bee or wasp venom or can occur spontaneously
(idiopathic)1. It is characterised by
cardio-respiratory and muco-cutaneous manifestations and requires prompt
administration of epinephrine2. The lifetime
prevalence of anaphylaxis is approximately 0.05-2.0% in the USA and
around 3% in Europe1 and there is evidence to suggest
that prevalence has increased during the last two decades3.
Much of the research investigating the impact of anaphylaxis on people’s
lives has focused on children and adolescents. During development of
food allergy quality of life (QoL) scales for children, it was reported
that those with a history of anaphylaxis to food had poorer QoL and
greater anxiety than those with no such history4.
Qualitative research with adolescents at risk of food-related
anaphylaxis has noted the worry surrounding such a reaction and the fear
of having to use an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI)5,6.
Similarly for anaphylaxis associated with insect venom or drugs, poorer
quality of life has been reported in comparison to people without such
allergies7-9.
Research on the impact of anaphylaxis on adults is sparse, with studies
generally focusing on one particular allergen. No quantitative studies
look at the psychological impact of anaphylaxis across its variety of
causes, on adults. Two qualitative studies conducted in the UK
investigated the impact anaphylaxis has on daily lives of
adults10,11. Both studies reported similar important
themes, including the fear elicited by having an anaphylactic reaction,
followed by the frustration in having to manage the condition at that
stage of their lives; the need to have some control over their condition
and the important role provided by friends, family and the medical
profession in supporting their management.
Anaphylaxis is the most serious type of allergic reaction. Greater
understanding of the impact this has on adults across different triggers
might improve quality of clinical care and help to direct psychological
support where necessary. We recently developed and validated a QoL scale
for anaphylaxis in adults12. The aim of this study was
to assess the impact anaphylaxis has on the QoL and mental health of
adults, using validated measures.