This summary was compiled from the tweets posted by the following allergists/immunologists who attended the 2012 annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI): Dr. Melinda Rathkopf @mrathkopf and Sakina Bajowala, M.D @allergistmommy. The tweets were labeled #AAAAI. The text was edited and modified by me.Risk Factors for Severe and Fatal Anaphylaxis were discussed by Dr. Estelle Simons:
Anaphylaxis in infants is under recognized, under diagnosed and under treated.
Teens are at especially high risk, due to risk-taking behaviors, and delay in use of epinephrine.
Sites specific for teens with food allergies/anaphylaxis: http://www.faanteen.org and whyriskit.ca
Regarding cardiac patients, EpiPen use is a mini-stress test, but anaphylaxis is a less forgiving one.
The World Allergy Organization anaphylaxis guidelines were published in J Allergy Clin Immunol March 2011 (free full text).
New concepts in the pathophysiology of anaphylaxis were discussed by Stephen Galli:
What was evolution thinking when it came up with anaphylaxis? There is evidence that mast cells can limit injury and enhance survival after envenomation. A mast cell "knock-in" mouse may serve as a model.
How do mast cells protect against snake bites? MCs degrade endothelin-1 (ET-1) and limit its toxicity. It takes 10 times more snake venom to kill wild type mice vs. mast cell deficient mice. Carboxypeptidase-A (from mast cells) inhibits toxicity of snake venom.