Prevalence of chronic urticaria: A study in the pediatric population of a general hospital

Introduction.Chronic urticaria is an inflammatory skin condition characterized by the presence of evanescent wheals or angioedema that last for ≥ 6 weeks.Objective.To determine the prevalence of urticaria and describe its clinical characteristics in children and adolescents under 19 years of age in a general hospital.Population and methods.This was a cross-sectional study carried out between 2015 and 2020 in a population of children and adolescents seen at a private healthcare facility. Results.A total of 1567 medical records of patients with urticaria seen during the study period were reviewed.Thirty-six patients with chronic urticaria were identified; the prevalence was 0.16% (95% CI: 0.11-0.22). Conclusion.The prevalence of chronic urticaria in children and adolescents was 0.16%.A higher frequency was observed among girls and adolescents.