Urticaria among Danish children in general practice

During a three month period 186 Danish general practitioners recorded 97 children with urticaria. No significant difference in frequency relating to sex was found. In 88 per cent of the cases the reason for contact was pruritus and exanthema. Patients did not appear to attend the practitioner on account of fear of serious disease. In 15 out of 21 children the disease had persisted for less than 24 months. Ninety-four per cent were questioned about provoking factors, but in only 17% was the aetiology elucidated. Only five patients revisited their general practitioner during a 14 day follow-up period. This confirms that most cases in general practice belong to the acute urticaria type in contrast to cases of urticaria in dermatology out-patient clinics. Seventy-five per cent were treated with drugs, in most cases with antihistamines.