Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Canadian Anaphylaxis Network- Predicting Recurrence After Emergency Presentation for Allergic REaction

This study aims to make emergency care better for children who have had a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis. Currently, all children who come to the hospital with anaphylaxis are often kept for many hours, even if they seem fine. This is because there's a small chance they might have a second reaction later on. Researchers want to find a way to predict which children are truly at risk of this second reaction. By doing so, doctors can give better, more targeted care, reducing unnecessary hospital stays and making sure children who need monitoring get it. It's about finding the best way to keep children safe and comfortable.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

Waleed Alqurashi

Enrolment target

1,682

Start

11 Apr 2022

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2025

Anaphylaxis

What is this study about?

Imagine your child has a severe allergic reaction, like to a peanut, and needs to go to the emergency room. Doctors treat them, and they seem much better. But then comes a tricky situation: current guidelines suggest staying for a long time, sometimes up to 24 hours, just in case they have a second reaction, known as 'biphasic anaphylaxis'. This can be stressful for families and uses up a lot of hospital resources, even though many children might not actually need to stay that long.

This study, called CAN-PREPARE, wants to change that for the better. Its main goal is to help doctors understand which children are most likely to have this second reaction. They plan to collect information from many children who come to emergency rooms with severe allergic reactions across Canada. By looking at all this information, they hope to create a rule or a tool that doctors can use.

Developing this tool means doctors can be more confident in their decisions. It could mean that children who are at very low risk might go home sooner, while those truly at risk get the close monitoring they need. This approach aims to make care safer, more comfortable for patients, and more efficient for hospitals around the world.

Key takeaways

This study aims to improve care for children with severe allergies.
It will help doctors predict who might have a second allergic reaction after leaving the emergency room.
This could lead to shorter, more targeted hospital stays for some children.
Participation involves observation and a follow-up survey, not new treatments.
Your child's usual medical care will not be affected by taking part.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for children under 18 years old who come to one of the participating emergency rooms because of a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis.

To be in the study, the allergic reaction must fit specific medical guidelines for anaphylaxis. This means it could involve more than one body system (like skin and breathing issues), or sometimes it might be just a very serious breathing problem or drop in blood pressure after contact with something they're allergic to, even if there's no rash.

There are a few reasons someone can't join. For example, if the reaction happened because of a suicide attempt or drug use, or if the reaction started while already in the hospital and wasn't managed in the emergency room. Also, if a patient can't take part in a follow-up phone call or survey a few days after leaving the hospital, they wouldn't be able to join. Lastly, children who have already been part of this specific study before cannot join again.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is your child under 18 years old?
Did their severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) bring them to the emergency room?
Can you speak English or French?
Are you able to complete a follow-up phone call or survey a few days after leaving the hospital?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If your child is eligible and you agree to take part, a research assistant or nurse in the emergency room will speak with you and get your permission. They will then collect information about your child's allergic reaction and their medical care during their emergency visit. This information will include details about the reaction itself and how it was treated. While your child is in the emergency room, the research team will observe to see if they have a second allergic reaction.

After your child leaves the hospital or emergency room, within 2 to 5 days, a member of the research team will contact you. This will typically be a phone call or survey to ask if your child had any further allergic symptoms once they were home. The total duration of your child's participation will be from their emergency room visit until they complete this short follow-up survey.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study does not change your child's medical care; they will receive the usual standard treatment for their allergic reaction. A potential benefit is contributing to new knowledge that could improve future care for children with severe allergies, making hospital stays more efficient and targeted. There are no direct medical risks from participating, as it's an observational study where researchers gather information without giving any new treatments. You are free to withdraw your child from the study at any time without any impact on their medical care.

Locations (7)

Alberta Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Calgary, Canada
Stollery Children's Hospital
Verified postcode
Edmonton, Canada
McMaster University
Verified postcode
Hamilton, Canada
Children's Hospital of Western Ontario
Verified postcode
London, Canada
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
Verified postcode
Ottawa, Canada
The Hospital for Sick Children
Verified postcode
Toronto, Canada
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine
Verified postcode
Montreal, Canada

Common questions

What is anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a very serious, fast-acting allergic reaction that can affect many parts of the body and can be life-threatening.

What is 'biphasic anaphylaxis'?

This is when someone has a second wave of allergic symptoms after their first reaction has cleared up. It's why people are sometimes monitored for a long time in hospital.

Will my child receive any new medication in this study?

No, this study is about observing and collecting information on children's reactions and their standard treatment; no new medications are given.

How long will my child need to be involved?

Your child will be involved during their emergency room visit and then a short follow-up survey 2-5 days after they leave the hospital.

What will happen with the information collected?

The information will be used to help create a tool that doctors can use to better predict which children might have a second allergic reaction, improving future care.