Aim:
Urticaria is a common disease in children; however, there are few examples in the literature about childhood urticaria. In this study, we aimed to investigate the various forms of urticaria in children along with the clinical features and etiological factors consistent with this condition.
Materials and Methods:
We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 125 children with urticaria, aged ≤18 years, who attended outpatients clinics. We investigated the etiological factors contributing to urticaria, such as infections, drugs and autoimmune disorders.
Results:
Of the 125 patients, 27 had chronic urticaria (CU) and 98 had acute urticaria (AU). The mean age at disease onset was 10.4±5.4 years in CU and 5.74±4.6 years in AU, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Infections were found to be the first cause (43.9%) of AU. Fifty-one percent (n=50) of AU were found to be idiopathic. Of the CU patients, 9 (33.3%) had inducible urticaria. Infections were found to be the first cause (14.8%) (n=4) of CU. Seventy-six point two percent of chronic spontaneous urticaria were found to be idiopathic. Helicobacter pylori (HP) antigen positivity was found in 43.8% (7/16) of the CU cases. Four to five of children showed remission after HP eradication.
Conclusion:
AU is the most common form of urticaria seen in childhood and infections appear to be the most important causative factor for AU. HP is an important infectious agent leading to CU.
Keywords: Urticaria, childhood, etiologic factors
