Abstract

RIOS, Marta et al. Chronic urticaria in a pediatric population. Nascer e Crescer [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.2, pp.80-85. ISSN 0872-0754.

Introduction: Chronic urticaria (CU) is a rare disease in children and adolescents. Aim: To characterize a group of children and adolescents with CU, analyzing the subtypes of CU, associated diseases, treatment and evolution. Material and methods: Retrospective study based on medical records consultation of a consecutive sample of 59 children and adolescents followed in a pediatric Immunoallergology department. Results: There were 59 patients aged between 16 months and 17 years, 37 of them (62,7%) were male. Thirty five (59,3%) cases corresponded to spontaneous chronic urticaria, 20 (33,9%) to physical urticaria (15 factitious and five cold urticaria), and four (6,8%) to another type of urticaria (two induced by exercise, one cholinergic, one aquagenic). Autoantibodies were detected in four patients with spontaneous urticaria and in five with physical urticaria or other. Acute CMV infection was diagnosed in a patient with spontaneous urticaria, and Giardia infection was found in a patient with exercise-induced urticaria. In 31 (88,6%) of the 35 cases in which evolution during the first five years is known, there was remission of symptoms, after 24 months on average (median 12 months). Conclusions: In addition to spontaneous CU, identified in most cases, cold and factitious urticaria subtypes are common in this age group. The screening of autoimmune diseases seems to have a role not only in patients with spontaneous urticaria, but also in those with the other types. In the large majority of patients the spontaneous resolution of symptons occurs during the first five years of disease, especially during the first year.

Keywords : Adolescents; children; skin pathology; chronic urticaria.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )