Angioedema without urticaria in childhood.

Background: 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.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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 16 months (range: 12-30 months). Antihistamine prophylaxis was initiated at therapeutic doses in 20 patients with frequently recurrent angioedema due to idiopathic and euthyroid TA-related Aw/oU for 3 months. These patients responded to antihistamine prophylaxis for 3 months. Four patients relapsed after cessation of prophylaxis at the end of 3 months. Antihistamine prophylaxis was prolonged to 6 months in three patients and to 9 months in one patient.

Conclusions: 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.