[Reduced number of fatal and life-threatening reactions to food. Reporting by the medical profession has resulted in effective measures].
The results from the Swedish system for reporting severe and fatal reactions caused by food for the period 1993-96 were published in Lakartidningen in 1997. We now report the results for the period 1997-2003. The number of fatal cases has decreased from 1.75 to 0.86 per year and the number of life-threatening cases from 3 to I per year. The most gratifying result was the large decrease in severe reactions caused by soy, from 3 deaths and 6 life-threatening cases during the first 4-year period to just one life-threatening case during the following 7-year period. This reduction is probably largely due to an increased awareness of identified risk persons, but also to a reduced use of soy protein. The ongoing study illustrates the usefulness of a national system for reporting severe and fatal reactions caused by food.
Foucard
Tony
T
Akademiska barnsjukhuset, Uppsala. tony.foucard@kbh.uu.se
Yman
Ingrid Malmheden
IM
Nordvall
Lennart
L
D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018563:Disease Notification; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D045730:Soy Foods / Q000009:adverse effects; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology