Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0042109 (urticaria)
 6,569 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Histamine releasing autoantibodies play a central role in the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria (CU) in approximately 30% of affected patients. We investigated the therapeutic effect of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on disease activity in patients with severe CU of autoimmune aetiology. Autoimmune urticaria was diagnosed by the development of a weal-and-flare reaction to the intradermal injection of autologous serum and by serum-induced histamine release from the basophil leucocytes of healthy donors in vitro. Ten patients with severe, autoimmune CU, poorly responsive to conventional treatment, were treated with IVIG 0.4 g/kg per day for 5 days. The outcome on cutaneous wealing and itch was monitored using urticaria activity scores, visual analogue scales and autologous intradermal serum tests. Clinical benefit was noted in nine of 10 patients: three patients continue in prolonged complete remissions (3 years follow-up), two had temporary complete remissions, and symptoms in four patients improved subsequent to treatment. There was significant improvement in the urticaria activity scores and visual analogue scores at 2 (P < 0.01) and 6 weeks (P < 0.01) post-IVIG compared with the baseline values (Wilcoxon matched pairs). The diminution in urticarial activity in the majority of patients corresponded with a reduced weal-and-flare response to the intradermal injection of autologous post-treatment serum compared with the pretreatment serum. Minor side-effects were common, but there were no serious or long-term adverse effects. IVIG represents a novel therapeutic option in selected patients with recalcitrant CU associated with histamine releasing autoantibodies.
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PMID:Intravenous immunoglobulin in autoimmune chronic urticaria. 953 30

Chronic urticaria in children occurs more often than it might be supposed, but its management is not part of the usual daily routine. While acute urticaria in children can be treated symptomatically without further investigations, chronic urticaria requires a search for trigger factors. Autoimmune urticaria can occasionally be documented in children. The treatment of chronic urticaria depends on the suspected trigger, always keeping in mind that medications may need to be adjusted to meet pediatric requirements.
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PMID:[Chronic urticaria in childhood]. 1499 93