[Revised terminology for allergies and related conditions].

The European Academy of Allergology and Clinical Immunology has proposed a revised terminology for allergic and allergy-related reactions that can be used independently of target organ or patient age group. The proposed terminology is based on the present knowledge of the mechanisms which initiate and mediate allergic reactions. 'Hypersensitivity' is an umbrella term, 'allergy' involves a hypersensitivity reaction which is initiated by an immunological mechanism, and 'atopy' is an individual or familial tendency to produce IgE antibodies in response to low doses of allergens, and is accompanied by the typical symptoms or asthma rhino-conjunctivitis or eczema/dermatitis. Each condition should be categorised as 'allergic/not allergic', and the allergic conditions should be further categorised as 'IgE-mediated/non IgE-mediated' (sometimes: 'IgE-associated'). Terms which are no longer in use include: 'idiosyncrasy' (this will now become 'hypersensitivity'); 'pseudo-allergy' ('non-allergic hypersensitivity'); 'extrinsic', 'intrinsic', 'endogenous' and 'exogenous asthma' ('allergic' (possibly 'IgE-mediated') and 'non-allergic asthma'); 'atopic eczema' ('atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome': 'allergic (possibly 'IgE-mediated') or 'non-allergic'); 'intrinsic' and 'cryptogenic variants of eczema' ('non-allergic atopic eczema/dermatitis syndrome'); 'food intolerance' ('non-allergic food hypersensitivity') and 'anaphylactoid reaction' ('non-allergic anaphylaxis').