Aetiological Factors Associated with Chronic Urticaria in Children:
A Systematic Review
Carlo Caffarelli1, Barbara Cuomo2, Fabio Cardinale3, Salvatore Barberi4, Carlotta Povesi Dascola1, Fabio Agostinis5,Fabrizio Franceschini6 and Roberto Bernardini7
1Clinica Pediatrica, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e Sperimentale, Università di Parma, Azienda
Ospedaliera-Universitaria, Parma, 2UOC Pediatria, Ospedale di Viterbo, Viterbo, 3UOC Medicina
Pediatrica e Pneumo-Allergoimmunologia, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria “Policlinico-Giovanni XXIII”,
Bari, 4Ospedale S.Paolo, Clinica Pediatrica, Università di Milano 5USC di Pediatria, OORR di Bergamo,
Bergamo, 6U.O Pediatria, Ospedale G Salesi, Ancona, and 7UOC Pediatria, Nuovo Ospedale S.Giuseppe,
Empoli, Italy
Chronic urticaria is a distressing condition with high costs. The aim of this literature review was to assess the
relative frequency of causes of chronic urticaria in childhood and to provide guidance on which laboratory
tests should be performed. Using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases, the literature from 1966 to
2010 (week 25) was systematically reviewed. Data from studies conducted on children who had had
urticaria for at least 6 weeks, and assessing at least 3 different causes of urticaria, were analysed by
reviewers using independent extraction. Six studies, all of low quality, met the inclusion criteria.
Idiopathic and physical urticaria were common. Infections, autoimmunity and allergy were also reported.
We conclude that children with chronic urticaria not caused by physical stimuli should undergo tests for
allergy or infections only when there is a history of cause–effect correlation. High-quality trials are
warranted to evaluate the causes of chronic urticaria in childhood.
Key words: chronic urticaria;
childhood; systematic review; physical urticaria; infections; idiopathic urticaria; autoimmune urticaria;
allergy; food allergy; additive.
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