Omalizumab is effective in the treatment of difficult-to-treat chronic spontaneous urticaria

Background Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a condition, lasting at least 6 months, where patients experience frequent episodes of red, itchy hives and/or angioedema with no apparent external trigger. For approximately 30-50% of patients this condition can resolve spontaneously but has been known to persist for years. CSU can have a major impact on a patient’s quality of life as it can affect daily activities, sleep, emotional wellbeing and social interactions. In March 2014, omalizumab was approved in Europe and eight other countries for the treatment of CSU in patients with inadequate response to H1-antihistamines at approved doses. However, as yet there is no approved indication for its use in CSU in Canada and the US. We report on the effectiveness of omalizumab as a treatment option for difficult-to-treat CSU in our clinic.