Prognosis of acute urticaria in children.

Sir, Although the literature on urticaria is vast, only few studies are available on acute urticaria (AU), and this is especially true for the prognosis in children (1, 2). The first study of AU in young children was not published until 1990 (3), and a second on hospitalized 1–3-yearolds almost a decade later (4). These studies suggested that between 20% and 30% of young children with AU are at risk of chronic or recurrent urticaria. In contrast, in adults, progression to chronic urticaria is extremely rare (v1%) (5). There is thus a need for further studies of AU in children, particularly in patient groups not selected for severe associated diseases in the context of hospitalization – as was postulated by Prigent (6). The present study was conducted in a rural private paediatric office. Examination of detailed patient records by the same physician allowed for a consistent assessment of symptoms and follow-up over an 8-year period. The following question was posed: What is the risk of progression to chronic urticaria in children with AU?