Management of food-induced anaphylaxis should also include observation for 4-6 hours or longer, based on the severity of the reaction, according to the guidelines.
"Practically speaking, the key is for the patient to be under some type of observation, not necessarily in the emergency department but somewhere with very quick access to emergency care," Dr. Camargo said.
The NIAID-sponsored guidelines were approved by the American College of Emergency Physicians, which had representation on the project’s coordinating committee.
To address potential conflicts of interest, members of the coordinating committee and expert panel submitted voluntary written statements on their relevant and significant financial interests for the NIAID to review. Expert panel members with perceived conflicts of interest were asked to remove themselves from voting on any recommendations relevant to the conflicted topic.
Dr. Camargo reported to the NIAID that he has consulted for and has received funding/grant support from Dey and Novartis, as well as funding/grant support from a variety of government agencies and not-for-profit research foundations.
The complete guidelines, as well as a summary of the expert panel’s report, are available to view or download on the NIAID food allergy guidelines Web site.