Prevalence of atopic diseases in children with papular urticaria.

BACKGROUND: Papular urticaria is a hypersensitivity reaction characterized by chronic and recurrent papular erythema. It occurs as a result of the bites of mosquitoes, fleas, bed bugs, and other insects; and it is generally seen in children. This study examines the prevalence of atopic diseases in patients with papular urticaria.

METHODS: The medical records of 130 pediatric patients with the diagnosis of papular urticaria between August 2017 and August 2019, whose disease progression was followed in two tertiary care centers, were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: under 5 and above 5 years old. The prevalence of the atopic disease in children with papular urticaria was compared with those in age-matched controls without papular urticaria.

RESULTS: The study included 130 patients who were diagnosed with papular urticaria (64 males, 66 females, median age: 60 months). The prevalences of atopic disease, recurrent wheezing, and atopic dermatitis were higher in the group under 5 years old with papular urticaria than in the same-age control group (p=0.001, 0.002, and 0.001, respectively). The prevalences of atopic disease, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis were higher in the group above 5 years old with papular urticaria than in the same-age control group (p=0.001, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.007, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: Many children with papular urticaria are atopic children. These patients should be assessed not only in terms of papular urticaria but also in terms of comorbid atopic diseases.