Urticaria in children. Retrospective evaluation and follow-up.

A retrospective study supplemented with follow-up was carried out in 163 children, aged 6 months to 16 years, who were hospitalized because of acute, recurrent or chronic urticaria in 1976-1980. Etiologic agents were identified in 55% of cases. Physical factors were the commonest causes, especially in cases of chronic urticaria, while infections predominated in acute urticaria. 81% of the children participated in the follow-up study. Follow-up for a year or more revealed that 53% of the children had become symptom-free, 36% still had symptoms but less frequently and in 11% urticaria was unresolved. The results indicate that the etiologic factors in childhood urticaria are similar to those found in adults and that prognosis is favorable, particularly when the etiology is established.