INTRODUCTION: Data concerning the epidemiology, etiology and clinical course of childhood urticaria are still under discussion. AIM: To investigate the clinical presentation of urticaria in hospitalized children and to define its possible etiologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety eight children (male/female 42/57) aged 0.2-17.6 years, (mean age 8.22±0.55) hospitalized due to urticaria were included in the study. The nature and localization of skin lesions, accompanying diseases and diagnostic test results were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty nine children (70.4%) were diagnosed as having acute, 22 (22.5%) acute recurrent and 7 (7.1%) chronic urticaria. Allergic diseases, family history of atopy and adenoid hypertrophy and/or chronic tonsillitis were present respectively in 10 (10.2%), 28 (28.6%), 21 (21.4%) children. In 32 children (46.3%) with acute urticaria, in 8 (36.3%) with recurrent and in 2 (28.5%) with chronic urticaria skin lesions covered the whole body. Serum C-reactive protein and leukocyte levels in children with acute urticaria were significantly higher compared to children with chronic urticaria (p<0.05). The serum IgE levels, the percentage and absolute count of eosinophils were similar in different forms of urticaria. Probable etiology in 62/69 children with acute urticaria (respiratory tract infections - 43, drugs - 8, lambliosis - 6, food allergy - 2, antiallergy shots - 2, urinary tract infection - 1 child), in 9/22 children with recurrent urticaria (respiratory tract infection - 7, lambliosis - 2 children) and in 3/7 children with chronic urticaria (physical urticaria - 2, urinary tract infection - 1 child) was determined. CONCLUSIONS: Among children with urticaria, the most frequent cause for hospitalization is acute urticaria. The outbreak of hives wheels is usually triggered by upper respiratory tract infection. IgE-related allergy is a rare reason of childhood urticaria. In more than 50% of cases of recurrent and chronic urticaria the etiology was not determined.
INTRODUCTION: Data concerning the epidemiology, etiology and clinical course of childhood urticaria are still under discussion. AIM: To investigate the clinical presentation of urticaria in hospitalized children and to define its possible etiologies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ninety eight children (male/female 42/57) aged 0.2-17.6 years, (mean age 8.22±0.55) hospitalized due to urticaria were included in the study. The nature and localization of skin lesions, accompanying diseases and diagnostic test results were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty nine children (70.4%) were diagnosed as having acute, 22 (22.5%) acute recurrent and 7 (7.1%) chronic urticaria. Allergic diseases, family history of atopy and adenoid hypertrophy and/or chronic tonsillitis were present respectively in 10 (10.2%), 28 (28.6%), 21 (21.4%) children. In 32 children (46.3%) with acute urticaria, in 8 (36.3%) with recurrent and in 2 (28.5%) with chronic urticaria skin lesions covered the whole body. Serum C-reactive protein and leukocyte levels in children with acute urticaria were significantly higher compared to children with chronic urticaria (p<0.05). The serum IgE levels, the percentage and absolute count of eosinophils were similar in different forms of urticaria. Probable etiology in 62/69 children with acute urticaria (respiratory tract infections - 43, drugs - 8, lambliosis - 6, food allergy - 2, antiallergy shots - 2, urinary tract infection - 1 child), in 9/22 children with recurrent urticaria (respiratory tract infection - 7, lambliosis - 2 children) and in 3/7 children with chronic urticaria (physical urticaria - 2, urinary tract infection - 1 child) was determined. CONCLUSIONS: Among children with urticaria, the most frequent cause for hospitalization is acute urticaria. The outbreak of hives wheels is usually triggered by upper respiratory tract infection. IgE-related allergy is a rare reason of childhood urticaria. In more than 50% of cases of recurrent and chronic urticaria the etiology was not determined.