Mystery surrounds death

A MAN died from an allergic reaction, possibly to a pasta and tomato sauce meal he had at his home.

Adam Stewart, 31, died on August 27 from an anaphylactic shock a severe hypersensitive allergic reaction at his home in Thorpe Crescent, Walthamstow, where he collapsed on the floor, unable to breathe. Paramedics were unable to revive him.

On the night, Mr Stewart shared a meal with his housemate, Nicholas Chidley. He cooked the same meal he had most nights, but used a different brand of sauce.

However, there was no definite evidence to say if the pasta sauce was responsible for his death.

The friends went to bed at 10.30pm, and at 12.15am Mr Stewart woke his flatmate because he was having trouble breathing. He managed to say "not asthma but anaphylaxis".

An ambulance was called but he had collapsed before it arrived.

He had been able to inject himself with an eppy pen which is used to help treat anaphylactic allergic reactions but this did not help him.

At an inquest on Monday into Mr Stewart's's death, Dr Pumphrey, a consultant clinical immunologist, said: "We just don't know what caused it.

Once these reactions start, they take hold very quickly.

"This is a very rare event. About four people die from stings and four from food each year compared with one attack of acute asthma every day."

Coroner Dr Elizabeth Stearns said: "On balance I am more likely to say Adam ate something that night that caused his death.

"He died as a result of an accident."

Mr Stewart, a customer services manager, led a healthy, active lifestyle playing sports, but had suffered from asthma since childhood and also had a history of severe allergic reactions.

He had been taken to Whipps Cross Hospital and was put in intensive care for 12 hours after blacking out from eating a Chinese meal.

Mr Stewart also had his life saved by a passing taxi driver who gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when he suffered another near fatal allergic reaction caused by food.

10:11 Sunday 9th February 2003

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