BackgroundChronic urticaria (CU) is a common disease, characterized by the development of wheals, angioedema, or both. CU reduces quality of life and can also cause emotional distress. Studies addressing depression and anxiety in such patients are rare in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between urticaria symptoms and depression and anxiety in patients with CU.Material/MethodsThe Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS) was used to evaluate depression and anxiety in patients with CU. We included 50 patients with CU and a control group of 60 healthy volunteers. Urticaria activity score, medications, age, sex, comorbidities, occupation, and income of patients were recorded. Depression and anxiety scores were evaluated between the patient and the healthy groups.ResultsThe HADS questionnaire showed that 24 (48%) subjects in the patient group had depressive symptoms and 24 (48%) had anxiety, and both of these conditions were significantly more frequent than in controls (p=0.002 and p=0.001). The mean anxiety and depression scores ±SD were 10.82±4.29 and 7.74±4.49 in the patient group and 6.42±3.02 and 4.85±3.26, in the control group respectively (p=0.001). The mean score of the UAS ±SD was 23.14±13.40 and a significant positive correlation between UAS and the anxiety and depression scores was observed (r=0.400; p=0.004 and r=0.373; p=0.004, respectively).ConclusionsOur data demonstrated that depression and anxiety symptoms are more common in patients with CU than in the control group. Therefore, we should pay attention to the potential of mental comorbidities while managing patients with CU.

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Our study shows that omalizumab may be an effective and safe therapy for patients with ACOS. However larger randomized trials are needed.

BackgroundSubcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) in allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma is a very effective treatment, but adherence is still a serious problem. Studies addressing real-life adherence to SCIT are rare in the literature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the adherence to SCIT in AR and asthma.Material/MethodsThe medical records of patients prescribed SCIT for treatment of AR and/or asthma were evaluated. Patients who continued the SCIT treatment as prescribed were defined as adherent, patients who stopped the treatment before the recommended period were defined as nonpersistent, and those who never started the treatment were defined as primary poor adherence. Age, gender, residence, type of SCIT, comorbidities, occupation, income, and adverse reactions were evaluated between these groups.ResultsNinety-five patients prescribed SCIT for the treatment of AR and/or asthma formed our cohort (female/male: 51/44). The mean (SD) age and duration of SCIT were 32.2±10.0 (range, 17–63) years, 14.4±12.7 (1.0–58.5) months, respectively. Sixty-two (65.3%) patients were adherent, (28.4%) patients were nonpersistent, and 6 (6.3%) patients were primary poor adherent. Nineteen (21.4%) patients had local adverse reactions and one (1.1%) had anaphylaxis. There were no differences between groups for age, gender, residence, type of SCIT, comorbidities, income, or occupation. The most frequent reason of nonpersistence was the cost of treatment.ConclusionsOur study found that adherence to SCIT is low in a real-life setting in southeast Turkey, similar to most previous adherence studies.

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