Angioedema without urticaria in childhood

Abstract

There has been no separate study investigating angioedema without urticaria (Aw/oU) exclusively in children so far. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency, clinical presentation, etiology, management and follow-up of Aw/oU in children. This is a prospective study that included all consecutive patients with a history of Aw/oU referred to our clinic between January 2011 and May 2012. A standard diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm was applied to all patients. The frequency of Aw/oU was found to be 1.6% during the study period. An etiological factor could be found in only 45 patients (49%). The causes of Aw/oU were infection (21%), allergy (14%), thyroid autoimmunity (TA)-related (8%) and nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drug hypersensitivity (6%), and idiopathic angioedema (51%). There was no hereditary type I, II or acquired type of angioedema or rare syndromes associated with Aw/oU. The median follow-up was 16months (range: 12-30months). Antihistamine prophylaxis was initiated at therapeutic doses in 20 patients with frequently recurrent angioedema due to idiopathic and euthyroid TA-related Aw/oU for 3months. These patients responded to antihistamine prophylaxis for 3months. Four patients relapsed after cessation of prophylaxis at the end of 3months. Antihistamine prophylaxis was prolonged to 6months in three patients and to 9months in one patient. Angioedema without urticaria in children is a rare condition and no etiology can be identified in half of them. Antihistamine treatment alone is sufficient, and prognosis is good in recurrent non hereditary cases in a short-term follow-up period.