A European survey of management approaches in chronic urticaria in children: EAACI pediatric urticaria taskforce

Clinical Characteristics, Investigations and Treatment in Children with Chronic Urticaria: An Observational Study

Background and Objectives: The guidelines for chronic urticaria in children contain recommendations that are often based on adult studies. The diagnostic pathway has not been standardized and the effectiveness of anti-H1, omalizumab, montelukast, and systemic glucocorticoids is rarely reported in the pediatric population. There is a wide variation in the rate of remission of chronic urticaria between studies. The aim of this study is to enhance our understanding of pediatric chronic urticaria. Materials and Methods: This study enrolled 37 children with chronic urticaria aged from 0 to 18 years. Demographic parameters, medical history, clinical features, laboratory data and treatment information were collected. Children were treated with the recommended dosage of second-generation H1-antihistamines, which was increased by up to twofold. Omalizumab was added for refractory anti-H1 patients. A three-day course with systemic glucocorticoids was administered for severe exacerbations. Montelukast was administered to some children. Results: Wheals without angioedema were common. Chronic urticaria was spontaneous in 32 children (86.48%), inducible in 2 (5.41%), induced by a parasite in 1 and vasculitic in 2. Treatment of the potential causes of chronic urticaria was of no benefit, except for eradication of Dientamoeba fragilis. Chronic urticaria was resolved within three years in 45.9% of cases. Allergic diseases were present in nine children (24.32%) and autoimmune diseases were present in three (8.11%). All children were treated with anti-H1 at the licensed dose or at a higher dose. A partial or complete response to anti-H1 was observed in 29 (78.38%) patients. Montelukast showed no benefit. All children treated with omalizumab responded. Systemic glucocorticoids were successfully used to treat exacerbations. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that laboratory tests should not be routinely performed in children with chronic urticaria without clinical suspicion. However, comorbidities such as thyroid autoimmune disease and coeliac disease are suggested to be monitored over the chronic urticaria course. These clinical conditions could be diagnosed from the diagnostic framework of chronic urticaria. Increasing the dosage of anti-H1 and omalizumab was effective in children resistant to standard treatment but we still need further studies to generate a standard patient-centered treatment.

Comorbidities of Chronic Urticaria: A glimpse into a complex relationship

Chronic Urticaria (CU) is a chronic inflammatory, predominantly mast cell-driven disease, characterized by the development of wheals and/or angioedema for more than 6 weeks. It affects approximately 1%-5% of the total population worldwide and imposes a substantial burden on health-related quality of life, significantly affecting patients' daily life. The economic impact on the health system is also not negligible, with an estimated cost per patient per year of approximately 2.000 $ in the United States. Although the underlying pathophysiology is not fully explored, autoimmune mechanisms have been proposed, including type I ("autoallergy" by means of autoantibodies to self-antigens) and type IIb (autoimmunity). Atopic, autoimmune, and psychiatric disorders are prevalent comorbidities in both children and adults with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU). Although malignancies, cardiovascular diseases and other comorbidities have also been reported as associated diseases in patients with CSU, data remain scarce. It is still unknown whether the aforementioned comorbidities share common pathophysiological mechanisms with specific endotypes of CSU. The current review aims to overview current data on comorbidities of CU, and furthermore to comment on the potential linked pathways underlying these diseases.

Pediatric chronic spontaneous urticaria: a brief clinician's guide

INTRODUCTION

Chronic urticaria (CU) appears with daily or intermittent/recurrent wheals with/without angioedema for more than six weeks. When no specific eliciting factors are found, chronic urticaria is defined as spontaneous (CSU). Up to 50% of patients with CSU do not respond to therapy, leading to a prolonged disease course and the need for expensive therapies, impacting the quality of life (QoL) and healthcare resources.

AREAS COVERED

: Diagnosis of CSU is made when other potential causes of chronic urticaria are excluded. CSU therapy aims to achieve complete control of symptoms and normalization of QoL. Current treatment options for urticaria aim to target mast cell mediators such as histamine, or activators, such as autoantibodies. Guidelines recommend starting with second generation antihistamines (sgAHs) and adding omalizumab therapy if symptoms are not controlled. This review aims to provide a practical guide for CSU in the pediatric population.

EXPERT OPINION

: Treatment options for pediatric CSU are primarily based on adult data that have been extrapolated for children. Current guidelines should be re-evaluated based on pediatric data, new biological treatments, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research is needed to investigate strategies to personalize current treatments and identify potential predictive biomarkers.