Table 3 Management of individuals presenting to emergency department with anaphylaxis
| Â | Paediatric | Adult | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
|  | (N = 107) | (N = 262) | (N = 369) |
Treatment with adrenaline in ED | 34 (32%) | 110 (42%) | 144 (39%) |
Received ≥ 2 of adrenaline in ED | 8 (7%) | 19 (7%) | 27 (8%) |
Route of adrenaline administration | |||
 IM only | 26 (76%) | 91 (83%) | 117 (82%) |
 Nebulised only | 6 (18%) | 6 (5%) | 12 (8%) |
 IV infusion only | 0 | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
 IM + nebulised | 2 (6%) | 7 (6%) | 9 (6%) |
 IM + IV infusion | 0 | 3 (3%) | 3 (2%) |
 Nebulised + IV infusion | 0 | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
 IM + IV infusion + nebulised | 0 | 1 (1%) | 1 (1%) |
Median time to adrenalinea, mins (min–max) | 20 (6–98) | 14 (1–94) | 15 (1–94) |
Required transfer to tertiary ED | 3 (3%) | 10 (4%) | 13 (4%) |
Disposition from ED | |||
 Discharge from ED | 71 (66%) | 79 (30%) | 150 (40%) |
 Emergency Short Stay Unit | 0 | 162 (62%) | 162 (44%) |
 Inpatient team | 36 (34%) | 14 (5%) | 50 (14%) |
 Intensive care unit | 0 | 6 (2%) | 6 (2%) |
 Transfer to private hospital | 0 | 1 (1%) | 1 (< 1%) |
Hospital length of stay | |||
 < 4 h | 48 (45%) | 78 (30%) | 126 (34%) |
 4–12 h | 28 (26%) | 121 (46%) | 149 (40%) |
 12–24 h | 28 (26%) | 41 (16%) | 69 (19%) |
 24 + hours | 3 (3%) | 21 (8%) | 24 (7%) |
Median length of stay (hours) | 4.4 (2.8–14.2) | 5.8 (3.8–11.2) | 5.3 (3.6–12.0) |
Tryptase ordered | 19 (18%) | 113 (43%) | 132 (36%) |
Any blood pathology ordered | 24 (22%) | 180 (69%) | 204 (55%) |
Hospital immunologist referral | 35 (33%) | 99 (38%) | 134 (36%) |
Discharge summary completed | 70 (65%) | 219 (84%) | 289 (79%) |
Allergy status updated in medical record | |||
 Yes | 12 (11%) | 53 (20%) | 65 (18%) |
 No | 74 (69%) | 132 (51%) | 206 (56%) |
 Not applicable—previously documented in medical record | 5 (5%) | 10 (4%) | 15 (4%) |
Not applicable—trigger unknown | 16 (15%) | 66 (25%) | 82 (22%) |
Given adrenaline autoinjector on discharge | 61 (60%) | 137 (52%) | 198 (54.4%) |
 Yes | 57 (53%) | 123 (47%) | 180 (49%) |
 No | 34 (32%) | 87 (33%) | 121 (33%) |
 Not indicated/required | 16 (15%) | 52 (20%) | 68 (18%) |
Given allergy/anaphylaxis action plan on discharge | |||
 Yes | 30 (28%) | 61 (23%) | 91 (25%) |
 No | 60 (56%) | 145 (55%) | 205 (56%) |
 Not indicated/required | 17 (16%) | 56 (22%) | 73 (19%) |