Pediatricians' knowledge about recent advances in anaphylaxis treatment in Istanbul, Turkey.

Severe anaphylactic reactions are medical emergencies in children and require immediate recognition and treatment. Many advances have been reported recently in the treatment of anaphylaxis. Despite this, little is known about whether or not these advances are known by all pediatricians. To evaluate the knowledge of pediatricians on the recent advances in the treatment of anaphylaxis, some pediatricians from istanbul were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 124 pediatricians agreed to participate in the study. Most attendants (92%) knew epinephrine as the first drug in the treatment of anaphylaxis, but more pediatricians (65%) also preferred subcutaneous route as the most effective route for injection. In addition, more than 80% did not know the trademarks of epinephrine autoinjectors or the amount of the drug in the autoinjectors. Our data show that the level of pediatricians' knowledge about recent advances in the management of anaphylaxis is unsatisfactory. Pediatricians' failure to know recent advances in the management of anaphylaxis may endanger children when assistance is required. Educational programs aimed at improving the general knowledge of pediatricians on recent advances in anaphylaxis are urgently needed.