Prevalence of Allergic Skin Diseases among Children Attending Ahmed Maher Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt

Background: The prevalence of allergic skin diseases in children varies worldwide and information regarding local prevalence of its various causes may help the development of policies towards better prevention and management. Objective: This study was done to determine the prevalence of allergic skin diseases among children attending Ahmed Maher Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Atopic dermatitis (AD), urticaria and contact dermatitis were the three allergic skin diseases that had been dealt with. Methods: One hundred and forty (140) children (patients group) were selected for the study from the pediatric and dermatology clinics of AMTH during a period of one year from June 2013 till June 2014. Another 140 comparable healthy children were also included as a control group. History and clinical examination were the main tools for diagnosis. Stool analysis was also done for 55 cases of both patients and control groups. Results: Our results clearly revealed that there was a female predominance in both patients and control groups. Regarding the age, there was a significant prevalence of atopic dermatitis and urticaria in the younger age groups; the reverse was observed with contact dermatitis that was more frequent in the older ages. Our results also pointed out to the significant association between the higher prevalence of allergic skin diseases and the presence of animals at homes, the presence of intestinal parasitic infection and the intercurrence of other allergic phenomenae as asthma and allergic rhinitis.