D2.08 - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Associated with Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening systemic allergic reaction. While itis known to cause psychological distress in children, parents, and adults who experienceit, there is limited data on patients developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)following anaphylactic episodes.

We present two case studies of patients who developed significant psychologicaldistress after experiencing anaphylaxis. PTSD diagnoses were established throughclinical interviews and the DSM-5 criteria. Both patients were evaluated forpsychological symptoms such as anxiety, intrusion, avoidance, and other trauma-relatedresponses.

The first case involves the mother of a child with food allergies, who experienced twoanaphylactic episodes during food introduction—one at six months triggered by wheat,and another at nine months triggered by chicken. Both episodes required emergencymedical attention. The mother developed acute stress reactions, including intrusivethoughts, avoidance behaviors, anxiety, and nightmares, which significantly impairedher daily life.The second case describes a young woman with multiple food allergies (seafood, nuts,and fresh fruits) who experienced several anaphylactic episodes before being accuratelydiagnosed. She suffered severe psychological distress, with symptoms such as vividflashbacks, intrusive thoughts, and physical sensations like sweating and nausea,leading to social and professional isolation.

Clinicians must recognize anaphylaxis as a potentially traumatic event that can lead tosignificant psychological complaints, including PTSD, in some allergic patients. Earlypsychological intervention is crucial to support these individuals and mitigate long-termpsychological impact.