title: Anaphylaxis as a cause of hospitalization--a single academic centre experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, more and more often the increase in incidence of allergies is observed. According to the WHO, they are getting the fourth position amongst the most frequent diseases after cancers, cardiovascular diseases and AIDS. Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, systemic or generalised immediate hypersensitivity reaction. The analysis of the causes and the clinical picture of anaphylaxis in patients treated at single academic hospital centre was the purpose of the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on retrospective analysis of case records of the patients hospitalised at the Chair and Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases, the Jan Biziel University Hospital in Bydgoszcz in the years 2005-2010. 132 patients, in whom anaphylactic reaction appeared, were analysed. The examined population included 70 men and 62 women at 16-95 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The conducted examinations allowed to obtain information about the causes and the course of anaphylactic reactions. The problem of hypersensitivity to substances of various origin (biological or synthetic) can concern everyone irrespective of sex and age. Nevertheless, the phenomenon of anaphylaxis more often occurred in the examined men than women. Most cases of anaphylactic reactions were reported in the 26-50 age range. Based on the presented results, no regularity was observed in anaphylaxis clinical picture and its causative factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is difficult to forecast the course of the reaction based on the causative factor, for anaphylactic reaction is characterised by a great individual changeability and intensity of the first symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Allergology, Clinical Immunology and Internal Diseases. The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Poland. aniab@doktorant.umk.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pałgan
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szortyka
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bitner
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bartuzi
authors.forename: Jacek J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Klawe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000707:Anaphylaxis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult