Skip to main content

Urticaria or Angioedema Clinical Pathway, Emergency Department and Primary Care – Differential Diagnosis

Urticaria or Angioedema Clinical Pathway — Emergency Department and Primary Care

Differential Diagnosis

Diagnosis Distinguishing Features
Serum Sickness
Serum Sickness-Like Reactions
  • Fever
  • Arthralgias or arthritis
  • Urticaria
Urticarial Vasculitis
  • Urticarial lesions that bruise
  • Lesions last > 24 hrs
Drug Reaction with
Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)
  • Fever
  • Systemic signs
  • Lymphadenopathy
  • Erythematous maculopapular (morbilliform) rash
  • Facial edema
Drug Eruption
  • Associated with medication use
  • Erythematous maculopapular (morbilliform) rash
Viral Exanthem
  • Associated with illness
  • Erythematous maculopapular (morbilliform) rash
Kawasaki Disease
  • Fever
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Mucous membrane involvement
  • Polymorphous rash
    • Maculopapular (morbilliform)
    • Targetoid
    • Urticarial
    • Scarlatiniform
    • Pustules
  • Palmoplantar, perineal erythema and desquamation
Insect Bites
  • Fixed, localized erythematous papule with surrounding erythema
  • Urticarial-like lesion

 

Jump back to top