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First attack of acute urticaria in pediatric emergency department

Tzu-Hsuan Liu1, Yan-Ren Lin, Kuo-Chia Yang

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.

Pediatrics and Neonatology
|October 25, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Infections are the leading cause of first-time acute urticaria in children, but their prevalence decreases with age. Food and medication allergies become more common in adolescents, highlighting age-specific triggers for childhood hives.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Acute urticaria management in children requires understanding its diverse causes.
  • Identifying etiologies aids primary physicians in accurate clinical assessment.
  • This study investigates the causes and prevalence of first-attack acute urticaria in young populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the etiologies and their prevalence in infants, children, and adolescents experiencing their first episode of acute urticaria.
  • To determine age-specific trends in the causes of acute urticaria.
  • To provide data for improved clinical management strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 953 children with a first acute urticaria attack admitted to the emergency department (ED) between 2000 and 2006.
  • Patient demographics and detailed etiologies were recorded and analyzed.
  • Prevalence of etiologies across different age groups and 7-year trends were determined.

Main Results:

  • Infections were the most common cause (48.4%), followed by foods (23.5%), idiopathic (13.2%), and medications (11.5%).
  • Upper respiratory tract infections, seafood (shrimp), and NSAIDs (ibuprofen) were frequent culprits.
  • Infections decreased with age (56.5% in infants to 17.1% in adolescents), while food and medication triggers increased in adolescents.

Conclusions:

  • Infections are the primary cause of first-attack acute urticaria in children, particularly in infants.
  • The prevalence of infections as a cause declines with increasing age.
  • Food and medication sensitivities are more prevalent in adolescents, indicating a shift in common triggers.
Abstract

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