Table 1.

Anaphylaxis criteria: anaphylaxis is diagnosed when any of the following three criteria are met¹

1. Acute onset of illness involving skin, mucosal tissue, or both (hives, pruritis, flushing, swollen lips, tongue, uvula [including subjective symptoms of throat pain, itching, tightnessa]) and at least one of the following: Respiratory compromise (dyspnea, wheeze, stridor, hoarseness, reduced peak expiratory flow, hypoxemia) Reduced blood pressure (BP)b or associated symptoms of end-organ dysfunction (syncope, incontinence)

2. Two or more of the following that occur rapidly after exposure to a likely allergy: Involvement of the skin–mucosal tissue (described above) Respiratory compromise (described above) Reduced BP or associated symptoms (described above) Persistent gastrointestinal symptoms (crampy abdominal pain, vomiting)

3. Reduced BP after exposure to known allergen for that patient

^aIn 2006, subjective throat symptoms such as throat pain, tightness, and pruritis were reclassified within the skin and mucosal tissue system, not the respiratory system as presented in the 2005 symposium criteria.³

^bLow systolic BP is defined at less than 70 mmHg from 1 month to 1 year of age, less than (70 mmHg + (2 × age in years) from 1 to 10 years of age and less than 90 mmHg from 11 to 17 years of age, and low diastolic blood pressure is defined as less than 45 mmHg in children greater than 10 years of age.