Should epinephrine be injected to all children with food allergy: 'pro'.

The general severity of allergic reactions to foods, with natural progressi on tending towards aggravation rather than improvement, and the impossibili ty of predicting individually the severity of future reactions, have been e stablished. It is also generally accepted that the non-administration or late administr ation of epinephrine (adrenaline) is a risk factor for the development of a potentially lethal reaction in a certain number of cases. Thus, although a topy and asthma are recognised risk factors for the appearance of a severe reaction, the following measures would appear to be advisable for all patie nts who have already presented an allergic reaction to foods: recommendatio n of an emergency kit including epinephrine; immediate prescription of an e pinephrine injection at the first signs of allergy, and monitoring of compl iance with recommendations, which should be clearly established. (C) 2001 E ditions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.