Global epidemiology of urticaria: Increasing burden among children, females and low-income regions

Urticaria has a high socioeconomic burden worldwide. However, the global epidemiology of urticaria and its geographical and temporal trends are not well studied. Using the Global Burden of Disease dataset, the aim of this study was to analyse the age-standardized prevalence, incidence, years lived with disability, and mean duration of urticaria in 195 countries from 1990 to 2017. In addition, the relationship between socioeconomic development and urticaria was evaluated. The global prevalence of urticaria in 2017 was 86 million people. Females and children aged 1–4 years were more commonly affected than males and adults, respectively: these differences were outside the 95% uncertainty intervals. Regression analyses showed that a lower gross domestic product per capita was associated with a higher prevalence and incidence of urticaria (p < 0.001). The global prevalence of urticaria, incidence, and years lived with disability have remained stable from 1990 to 2017.