The prevalence of food allergy and epinephrine auto-injectors in Dutch food-allergic adolescents

Food-induced anaphylaxis continues to be increasing across all ages, and the risk of fatal food-induced anaphylaxis is disproportionately high in adolescents(1,2). Effective management of food-induced anaphylaxis must include both prompt acute, emergency treatment and long-term care. When a severe food-allergic reaction occurs, prompt administration of epinephrine may be life-saving. Therefore, all food-allergic patients at high-risk of anaphylaxis should carry an epinephrine auto-injector (EAI) at all times. However, a previous study in 2009 showed that there was an alarming underprescription of EAIs to high-risk food-allergic adolescents (11-20 years) in Dutch high schools(3). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.