Histamine is the main mediator of urticaria and H1-receptor antagonists represent the treatment of choice in all patients with chronic urticaria. Leukotriene receptor antagonists as montelukast have also been used in patients with chronic urticaria unresponsive to H1-antihistamines alone. We report a patient with chronic urticaria whose disease was paradoxically exacerbated by H1-antihistamines...

BACKGROUND Although urticaria has been reported in association with tinea or other fungal infections, usually this relationship is considered coincidental. CLINICAL CASE We report the case of a patient that developed two episodies of generalised urticaria associated with dermatophytosis. An allergologic studied was performed. Skin prick tests with a battery of common inhalant allergens and fo...

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that oxidative stress is a crucial event in some forms of urticaria. AIM To evaluate the blood oxidant/antioxidant profile of patients suffering from urticaria induced by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS We measured the activity of the antioxidant enzymes copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and ...

Acute annular urticaria is a common and benign cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction seen in children that manifests with characteristic annular, arcuate, and polycyclic urticarial lesions in association with acral edema. It is mistaken most often for erythema multiforme and, occasionally, for a serum-sickness-like reaction. Although these 3 entities may present in a similar manner, specific clin...

Urticaria is a common condition that occurs in both children and adults. Most cases have no specific allergic trigger and the aetiology of urticaria remains idiopathic and occasionally spontaneous in nature. Inappropriate advice such as avoidance of foods (milk, egg, prawn, and brinjal) is common place in certain sections of India mostly by nonspecialists that should not be routinely recommende...

I read with interest the consensus guidelines on chronic urticaria by Steven KW Chow and colleagues [1] but have reservations with the statement that angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) should usually be avoided in chronic urticaria with or without angioedema. Although the EAACI/ GALEN/EDF/WAO position paper does allude to the fact that ACEIs come second to non-steroidal anti-infla...

BACKGROUND Typical carcinoid syndrome is characterized by flushing, abdominal pain and diarrhea and occurs in <10 % of carcinoid tumor patients. Very rarely, initial signs include skin manifestations. Our purpose is to highlight cutaneous manifestations in the diagnosis and assessment of a patient with atypical manifestation of type I gastric carcinoid tumor. CASE PRESENTATION A 50-year-old w...

INTRODUCTION The clinical concept of urticaria embraces a heterogeneous group of conditions classified according to their clinical course as acute (lasting less than 6 weeks) or chronic (lasting 6 weeks or more). Chronic urticaria may be either spontaneous or induced. Few tools are available for monitoring the various clinical forms of this disease or for evaluating its impact on quality of lif...

BACKGROUND Chronic urticaria severely affects quality of life. To date, no gold standard has been established to measure the burden of suffering, which often correlates poorly with the skin symptoms observed in patients with chronic urticaria. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of psychological factors on the course of urticaria. METHODS Health-related quality of life was assessed in 95 pa...