Experience in urticaria with patients attending a dermatological clinic in a refferal center in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Urticaria is a common cutaneous vascular reaction pattern caused by diverse and multiple factors. However, an etiologic factor can be established in less than 20% of chronic cases. In this study, 274 patients with urticaria were evaluated in the dermatology clinic of King Fahd Hospital of the University [KFHU] between 1989 and 1992. Saudi nationals predominated; 188 patients were males [68.6%] and 86 were females [31.4%] and the peak incidence of urticaria was in young adults. The incidence of urticaria was 3.79% of dermatological cases. The success rate for identification of etiological factors was 41% in acute urticaria and 14% in chronic urticaria. The etiological categories discovered included allergies, physical factors, infections and miscellaneous systemic factors. In conclusion, causative factors remained elusive in the majority of cases. The identification and removal of the possible causative factors is the most important aspect of management in urticaria. A detailed history and physical examination are in order; however, extensive laboratory investigations are unnecessary