Original Contribution Predictive factors of the duration of a first-attack acute urticaria in children Yan-Ren Lin MD a,c , Tzu-Hsuan Liu MD b , Tung-Kung Wu PhD c , Yu-Jun Chang MS d,e , Chu-Chung Chou MD, PhD a,f , Han-Ping Wu MD, MS g,h, ⁎ a Department of Emergency Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, 50006 Changhua, Taiwan b Department of Dermatology, Changhua Christian Hospital, 50006 Changhua, Taiwan c Department of Biological Science and Technology and Institute of Biochemical Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, 30010 Hsinchu, Taiwan d Epidemiology and Biostatistics Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan e Institute of Environmental Medicine, China Medical University, 40402 Taichung, Taiwan f Institute of Medicine, Chungshan Medical University, 40201 Taichung, Taiwan g Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, 11299 Taipei, Taiwan h Department of Pediatrics, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung Branch 42743, Taichung, Taiwan Received 10 March 2010; revised 4 April 2010; accepted 7 April 2010 Abstract Purposes: This study's aim was to determine the predictive factors of the duration of first-attack acute urticaria in children. Basic Procedures: 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. Main Findings: Age, various etiologies, clinical presentations, coexistent pyrexia or angioedema, and personal histories of allergic diseases were significant factors (all P b .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 b .05). Oral plus injection forms of antihistamine or steroid were related to shorter duration of disease (P b .05). Principal Conclusions: Etiologies and personal allergy history may be the most important predictors of the duration of a first attack of acute urticaria. © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Urticaria is a common disease in the pediatric emergency department (ED) and is estimated to affect 15% to 25% of people at some point in their life [1]. Many parents seek emergency medical treatment for their children when they experience a first attack of acute urticaria, especially when ⁎ Corresponding author. Department of Pediatrics, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung Branch, Taichung, Taichung County 42743, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 4 36060666; fax: +886 4 36021123. E-mail address: arthur1226@gmail.com (H.-P. Wu). www.elsevier.com/locate/ajem 0735-6757/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2010.04.004 American Journal of Emergency Medicine (2011) 29, 883–889