BMJ  2003;327:1142-1143 (15 November), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7424.1142

Paper

Increasing hospital admissions for systemic allergic disorders in England: analysis of national admissions data

Ramyani Gupta, Lung and Asthma Information Agency epidemiologist1, Aziz Sheikh, NHS/PPP national primary care post doctoral fellow1, David Strachan, professor of epidemiology1, H Ross Anderson, professor of epidemiology and public health1

1 Department of Community Health Sciences, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE

Correspondence to: R Gupta rgupta@sghms.ac.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Epidemiological studies indicate that the prevalence of allergic disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and eczema have increased during recent decades in many Western countries.1 Although anecdotal reports suggest that the prevalence of systemic allergic conditions may also be changing, only limited evidence exists to support this assertion.2 We report on trends in admissions for anaphylaxis, angio-oedema, food allergy, and urticaria, analysed by using national hospital discharge statistics from 1990-1 to 2000-1.

Methods and results

We obtained hospital admissions data from the hospital episode statistics system.3 This database records episodes of care after admission to hospital and assigns a primary diagnosis on discharge based on the international classification of diseases (ICD).4 Data are available by financial year (1 April-31 March). Diagnoses were classified using the ninth revision (ICD-9) up to March 1995 and using the tenth revision (ICD-10) thereafter.

We identified admissions for anaphylaxis, angio-oedema, food allergy, and urticaria (ICD-9 codes: 995.0, 999.4, . . . [Full text of this article]

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Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

They forgot to mention chemicals
G Bagnall
bmj.com, 16 Nov 2003 [Full text]
Re: They forgot to mention chemicals
MC Feliciello
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2003 [Full text]
allergy on all time increase.
manan vasenwala md, mrcp (uk)
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2003 [Full text]
Blindingly obvious from Outer space
Lisa Blakemore-Brown
bmj.com, 17 Nov 2003 [Full text]
and what about the delayed responses to allergens?
Celine M Aranjo
bmj.com, 11 Jun 2006 [Full text]
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