[Contact urticaria to natural rubber latex in childhood and associated atopic symptoms: a study of 27 patients aged under 15 years].

BACKGROUND

Although natural rubber latex hypersensitivity is considered as a major problem in adult, it may be still misdiagnosed in childhood.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: We collected 27 observations of natural rubber latex contact urticaria in children under 15 Years of age, 21 of them aged under 8.

RESULTS

All of them where atopic and 19 out of 27 presented with other association paroxystic signs of immediate hypersensitivity, that were lately related to latex allergy (i. e. asthma, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, fainting). Cross-allergy to food allergens was present in 33 p. 100. Average level of specific IgE to natural rubber latex was 21.7 kU/l. One to 4 Years follow up confirmed the benefit of latex eviction on urticaria as well as on associated symptoms. It led to the early detection of ficus allergy in 4 of them.

DISCUSSION: This series confirms that atopy is at high risk for natural rubber latex allergy in children. These data suggest that atopic children are exposed too early to latex devices such as pacifiers, toodles of latex toys. Contact urticaria in children must be considered as a possible marker of other respiratory or general symptoms that may have been misconsidered under other etiologies.