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Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of study population

From: Epinephrine auto-injector prescriptions to food-allergic patients in primary care in The Netherlands

 

Probably food-allergic

Unlikely food-allergic

Patients with incomplete data

Number participants, n (%)

34 (50)

34 (50)

80

Sex adolescent, boys/girls n (%)

17/17 (50/50)

13/21 (38/62)

43/37

Type of food allergies, n (%)

 Peanut

8 (23)

4 (12)

13 (16)

 Tree nuts

15 (44)

4 (12)

12 (15)

 Cow’s milk

11 (32)

9 (27)

38 (48)

 Egg

2 (6)

2 (6)

1 (1)

 Wheat

1 (6)

0

 Soy

1 (1)

 Sesame seed

1 (3)

0

 Fish

2 (6)

1(1)

 Shell fish

1 (3)

1 (1)

 Celery

1 (3)

1 (1)

 Fruit

8 (24)

15 (19)

 Vegetables

2 (6)

2 (3)

 Other

7(21)

3 (4)

Tests used to diagnose food allergy, n (%)

 Food-specific IgE levels (RAST)

14 (59)

14 (59)

20 (25)

 Open food challenge

9 (27)

7 (21)

9 (11)

 Skin prick test

2 (6)

1 (1)

Referral to, total n (%)

11 (32)

7 (21)

9 (11)

 (Pediatric) allergologist

2 (6)

1 (3)

 Dermatologist

1 (3)

1 (1)

 Pediatrician

2 (6)

2 (6)

1 (1)

 Internist

4 (12)

3 (9)

1 (1)

 Dietician

2 (6)

4 (12)

5 (6)

High risk patient, n (%)

27 (79)

4 (5)b

Experienced anaphylaxis, n (%)

5 (15)

4 (5)

Risk factors, n (%)

 Asthma or asthmatic reactions to food

10 (29)

3 (9)

9 (11)

 Adolescent or young adult age

21 (62)

24 (71)

70 (88)

 Systemic reaction to traces of the food allergena

6 (18)

1 (3)

 Having peanut or nut allergy

23(68)

8 (24)

25 (32)

Prescribed an EAI, yes/no n (%)

  

8 (10)

 High risk patient

10/17 (29/71)

1 (1)

 Low risk patient

2/8 (6/24)

7 (9)

  1. EAI epinephrine auto-injector
  2. aNot documented in all patient’s medical records
  3. bUnknown due to incomplete data, however, 4 patients had had presented to their GP with an anaphylactic reaction according to the information in the medical record. All of them had a peanut or nut allergy, and only 3 of them had been prescribed an EAI