Urticaria epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Anahita Deylamsalehi, M.D.[2]

Overview

Since a considerable number of patients with urticaria only experience short lived symptoms and they may not seek any medical attention, it is difficult to determine the exact number of incidence and prevalence. However based on studies have been done, incidence of urticaria has been approximately 0.154% in one year and it’s prevalence is approximately 12-23.5%. Patients of all age groups may develop urticaria, nevertheless 20-40 years old patients are the most frequent patients who develop urticaria. Females are more commonly affected by urticaria than males. The overall female to male ratio is approximately 2 to 1. Although delayed pressure urticaria is the exception and involves males more than females, with a male to female ratio of 2 to 1. There is no racial predilection to urticaria.

In a prospective study in a rural area the incidence of urticaria has been approximately 0.154% in one year.^[1]

The prevalence of acute urticaria is approximately 12-23.5%. Although the real prevalence is estimated to be even more, since mild cases usually don’t seek medical attention. ^[1]^[2]
Cholinergic urticaria has a 11.2% prevalence in the age group of 16–35 years.
Physical urticarias prevalence has been estimated 44.6% in normal subjects.^[3]^[1]

Patients of all age groups may develop urticaria, nevertheless 20-40 years old patients are the most frequent patients who develop urticaria.^[4]^[5]
The age of onset is 30 years old in delayed‐pressure urticaria.^[1]
There are some studies demonstrating an inverse relationship between age and disease severity. Based on these studies, older adults have shorter periods of disease.^[6]

Females are more commonly affected by urticaria than males. The female to male ratio is approximately 2 to 1.^[4]
The female to male ratio is approximately 5 to 1 in aquagenic urticaria.^[1]^[7]
Interestingly delayed pressure urticaria involves males more than females, with a male to female ratio of 2 to 1.^[1]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 ^1.5 Zuberbier T (2003). “Urticaria”. Allergy. 58 (12): 1224–34. doi:10.1046/j.1398-9995.2003.00327.x. PMID 14616095.
↑ Champion RH, Roberts SO, Carpenter RG, Roger JH (1969). “Urticaria and angio-oedema. A review of 554 patients”. Br J Dermatol. 81 (8): 588–97. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.1969.tb16041.x. PMID 5801331.
↑ Henz BM, Jeep S, Ziegert FS, Niemann J, Kunkel G (1996). “Dermal and bronchial hyperreactivity in urticarial dermographism and urticaria factitia”. Allergy. 51 (3): 171–5. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.1996.tb04582.x. PMID 8781671.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Losol P, Yoo HS, Park HS (2014). “Molecular genetic mechanisms of chronic urticaria”. Allergy Asthma Immunol Res. 6 (1): 13–21. doi:10.4168/aair.2014.6.1.13. PMC 3881394. PMID 24404388.
↑ Humphreys F, Hunter JA (1998). “The characteristics of urticaria in 390 patients”. Br J Dermatol. 138 (4): 635–8. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2133.1998.02175.x. PMID 9640369.
↑ Chuamanochan M, Kulthanan K, Tuchinda P, Chularojanamontri L, Nuchkull P (2016). “Clinical features of chronic urticaria in aging population”. Asian Pac J Allergy Immunol. 34 (3): 201–205. doi:10.12932/AP0708. PMID 27001657.
↑ Greaves M (2000). “Chronic urticaria”. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 105 (4): 664–72. doi:10.1067/mai.2000.105706. PMID 10756214.