Urticaria
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Basics
Description
- Cutaneous mast and basophil cellular release of inflammatory mediators, primarily histamine:
- Increased vascular permeability and pruritus
- Edema of the epidermis as well as the upper and middle dermis:
- More common in children and young adults
- More common in women
- More common in the atopic patient
- 40% of patients with urticaria will have a component of angioedema:
- Affects deeper subdermal and/or submucosal sites
Pediatric Considerations
- Urticaria is often the result of reactions to foods and infections:
- Especially viral URIs
- Swelling of distal extremities and acrocyanosis may be prominent in infants
- Bullae may form in the center of the wheal, especially on legs and buttocks
Etiology
Acute- Presumptive trigger may be found, but majority of cases are idiopathic
- Course of acute urticaria is 6 wk:
- 75% idiopathic in nature
- Autoimmune disease spectrum
- Immune complex–induced
- Often an unrecognized recurring physical urticaria
- May be due to occult or subclinical infection or systemic disease
-- To view the remaining sections of this topic, please log in or purchase a subscription --
Basics
Description
- Cutaneous mast and basophil cellular release of inflammatory mediators, primarily histamine:
- Increased vascular permeability and pruritus
- Edema of the epidermis as well as the upper and middle dermis:
- More common in children and young adults
- More common in women
- More common in the atopic patient
- 40% of patients with urticaria will have a component of angioedema:
- Affects deeper subdermal and/or submucosal sites
Pediatric Considerations
- Urticaria is often the result of reactions to foods and infections:
- Especially viral URIs
- Swelling of distal extremities and acrocyanosis may be prominent in infants
- Bullae may form in the center of the wheal, especially on legs and buttocks
Etiology
Acute- Presumptive trigger may be found, but majority of cases are idiopathic
- Course of acute urticaria is 6 wk:
- 75% idiopathic in nature
- Autoimmune disease spectrum
- Immune complex–induced
- Often an unrecognized recurring physical urticaria
- May be due to occult or subclinical infection or systemic disease
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