Is Anaphylaxis a Syndrome or a Disorder?

[mycrofft]

A disorder or disease has a defined presentation, known causes, and typical course. Of course there is scientific wiggle room, plus the idiosyncratic pt or the poor history.

Anaphylaxis has a typical course but with a spectrum of variations, not always cumulatively worse with repeated occasions. Triggering events are not uniform; sometimes the exposure is the initial one, or sometimes it is a case of "hunnurds of times afore, and nuthin' never happened" then blammo. Some people respond ot the slightest hint of agent, others don't react until immersed...and not always the same.

Treatments seem to have some variety as well.

Are we seeing a group of clinically similar reactive states which are a syndrome but may arise from a sheaf of causes and pathways? Would ths affect how we treat them, and how we look at preparedness/anticipation for some patients?

And are we missing related cases which we now classify as "asthma", "chronic bronchitis", idiopathic hives, etc?

 

[Cup of Joe]

Anaphylaxis is a life-threating allergic reaction, recognizable by its symptoms. In that sense, it can be considered a syndrome. However, thinking of what's actually going on in the body, it can also be considered a disorder: the immune system is reacting to something it sees as a threat, but it shouldn't.

 

[mycrofft]

Yes, but do we see the variety of onsets and patient successes and failures as signs of different pathways, or "just one of those things"?