Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, causal factors and evolution of a group of patients with chronic urticaria-angioedema

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Chronic urticaria-angioedema is a common, multiple-cause complaint. The aim was to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, causal and aggravating factors and evolution of urticaria-angioedema. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a descriptive prospective study carried out at the Dermatology outpatient clinic of Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). METHODS: A total of 125 patients with chronic urticaria-angioedema were evaluated to obtain sociodemographic data, anamnesis, dermatological and general clinical data and laboratory data, emphasizing causal and aggravating factors and complaint evolution. RESULTS: Chronic urticaria-angioedema occurred mainly in females (mean age: 35 years), but also in men (mean age: 32 years). White color and living in urban areas also predominated. There was no preferential time for symptoms to appear, and nighttime was the most commonly reported time for clinical worsening. Around half of the patients had urticaria associated with angioedema. There were no associated factors in most of the cases, and stress was the most commonly reported aggravating factor. The cause was ascertained in 37.6% of our cases. The mean duration of follow-up was 11.7 months. Around 60% of the patients evolved with the problem under control, 32% improved, 9% had no change in dermatological condition and only one patient worsened. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic urticaria-angioedema was more common among middle-aged women. It is a long-term disease, and its cause was explained in about one-third of the patients. Half of the patients presented disease control after treatment lasting an average of approximately one year.

Autoimmune thyroid disease as a risk factor for angioedema in patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria: a case-control study

“…3 The reason why a higher frequency of angioedema was found in our patients remains unclear, but it may be associated with regional iodine sufficiency, or with the fact that the ATD rate found in this study was higher (19.1%) than what was reported by Feibelmann et al (12.3%), 15 and higher than in American studies on the general population (3-10%). 8,29 The association between angioedema and ATD was evident.…”

“…In addition, they observed that CU affected patients at all ages, but particularly those between 20 and 50 years (mean age of about 35 years). 3 Hypothyroidism was the most frequent dysfunction in our sample (16.5%). Pimenta et al found a similar rate (16%) in outpatients.…”

“…Angioedema is considered to be the most severe clinical manifestation of this disorder and may be associated with a risk of death. 2,3 The causes of CU are multiple and complex. It is named chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) in approximately 70% of the cases, since no cause can be identified.…”

Clinical Observations on Acute and Chronic Urticaria: A Comparative Study

“…Silvares et al detect arthralgia and chronic headache as the most common systemic symptoms in patients with chronic urticaria and angioedema similiarly to our study. [17] In the same study CU and angioedema were accompanying with some dermatological diseases such as fungal infection, acne vulgaris, pityriasis versicolor, xeroderma, seborrheic dermatitis and other dermatoses. [17] The most common accompanying dermatological diseases were acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, lichen simplex chronicus, xeroderma, pityriasis versicolor, alopecia areata, eczema, palmoplantar psoriasis and psychogenic pruritus in our study.…”

Primjena autohemoterapije u liječenju hronične urtikarije

“…Silvares i sar. [18] su u prospektivnoj studiji od 125 pacijenata pokazali da se hronič-na urtikarija javlja uglavnom u žena srednje dobi od 35 godina, a kod muškaraca u dobi od 32 godine.…”