Antihistamines in CSU: Practice Points
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58931/cait.2021.1115Abstract
Urticaria is a mast cell mediated condition characterized by transient, raised, pruritic wheals on an erythematous background, with each individual lesion resolving within 24-48 hours without bruising or scarring. Angioedema (AE) is localized subcutaneous swelling which may occur with urticaria, or independently. Urticaria is classified as acute or chronic depending on the duration. Chronic urticaria is further subdivided into inducible or chronic spontaneous. The focus of this article will be chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), which is characterized by wheals and/or swelling occurring spontaneously on most days of the week for 6 weeks or more . The prevalence of chronic urticaria has been estimated to be 0.5–5%. Chronic urticaria is more common in adults, with a peak age of onset between 20 and 40 years, affecting women more frequently than men. In CSU, an external trigger cannot usually be identified.
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