title: Predictive factors of the duration of a first-attack acute urticaria in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study's aim was to determine the predictive factors of the duration of first-attack acute urticaria in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample included 1075 children admitted to the emergency department with first-attack acute urticaria. Variables comprising the clinical features and past histories of children with duration of disease of 3 days or less, 4 to 7 days, 8 to 14 days, and 15 days or more were compared to determine the predictors of duration of acute urticaria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Age, various etiologies, clinical presentations, coexistent pyrexia or angioedema, and personal histories of allergic diseases were significant factors (all P < .05). Among allergic diseases, atopic dermatitis was the most significant predictor of duration of acute urticaria, and those with multiple allergic diseases had longer durations of urticaria (both P < .05). Oral plus injection forms of antihistamine or steroid were related to shorter duration of disease (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Etiologies and personal allergy history may be the most important predictors of the duration of a first attack of acute urticaria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, 50006 Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yan-Ren
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tzu-Hsuan
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tung-Kung
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yu-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chu-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Han-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014581:Urticaria / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*