What are the symptoms of a moderate allergic reaction?

Moderate allergic reactions often present with a combination of skin and respiratory symptoms that indicate a more systemic response to an allergen. In this case, the correct choice refers to a skin reaction accompanied by some respiratory involvement, yet the patient is still able to maintain good tidal volume and air exchange. This is a crucial distinction because it indicates that while there is respiratory compromise, it has not progressed to a severe level where it threatens the patient's ability to breathe effectively.

The presence of a skin reaction, such as hives or urticaria, along with mild respiratory symptoms, such as slight wheezing or coughing, categorizes this as a moderate reaction. The key point here is that the patient remains stable enough to exchange air adequately, warranting observation and, possibly, treatment, but without the immediate life-threatening urgency typically associated with severe allergic reactions.

Other symptoms such as hives with no respiratory involvement or itchy and watery eyes suggest a less intense reaction, which wouldn't align with the classification of “moderate.” Respiratory difficulty, on the other hand, could indicate a more severe allergic reaction, where the patient's ability to breathe is compromised, thus shifting the scenario beyond moderate into a more serious category requiring urgent intervention.