Is response to IVIG in Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria related to presense of autoantibodies?

Background Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU) may be challenging, as patients can be refractory to various treatments. This may be due to an autoimmune mechanism in its pathogenesis. CIU has been shown to be associated with autoantibodies to IgE or IgE receptor and with thyroid autoimmunity [1,2]. Treatments targeting this autoimmune pathogenesis are now being used, such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). We reviewed patients with CIU treated with IVIG to see if response to treatment correlated with presence of autoimmunity (antibodies to IgE/IgE receptor or Thyroidperoxidase (TPO) antibodies).