title: Hypersensitivity.
abstract: Anaphylaxis is a syndrome including one or more of the following life-threatening responses: hypotension, bronchospasm, upper airway angio-oedema. Other manifestations such as urticaria or rhinitis may also occur. Anaphylaxis is due to release of mediators such as histamine or leukotrienes; this mediator release may be due to immunological or non-immunological mechanisms. Ethylene oxide (ETO) is used to sterilize haemodialysers and other medical equipment that cannot with-stand heat sterilization. There is significant scientific evidence that ETO can haptenize human proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA), thus rendering the allergen ETO-HSA. Approximately two-thirds of patients who experience dialysis anaphylaxis have IgE against ETO-HSA, whereas only about 5% of those without anaphylaxis have IgE against ETO-HSA. No other allergens or mechanisms have been described to account for a significant number of anaphylaxis reactions.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, IL 60611.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000139:chemically induced; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005027:Ethylene Oxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000145:classification; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000941:Antigens; D005027:Ethylene Oxide