Urticaria

Η Urticaria ή Urticaria (Urticaria) is a dermatological disease that belongs to the so-called "Formative Sermons". Any form of urticaria that lasts less than 12 weeks is considered to belong to the acute form (acute urticaria). If the duration of the disease exceeds 12 weeks, it is considered to belong to the chronic form (chronic urticaria).

It is characterised by the appearance of one or more - usually multiple - bumps, i.e. lesions that have whitish or erythematous complexion, spotty circular shape and transient character. These lesions can be tiny or very large and sometimes coalesce into plaques that can cover large parts of the body.

The rash is usually accompanied by κνησμό or and pain and can be found on any part of the body, from the scalp to the feet.

In 40% of cases they are accompanied by swelling (scientifically called angioedema) and thus protrude from the skin.

REASONS

Depending on the type of urticaria, the causes vary:

• Acute allergic urticaria: It is due to the mobilisation of an allergic reaction through the immunoglobulin IgE. Most of the patients with this reaction are people with atopic predisposition (allergic). The above Epsilon immunoglobulin (IgE) can occur in hereditarily predisposed (atopic) individuals or be caused by contact or ingestion of a foreign substance with which the individual is usually not familiar (pollen, house dust, fungi, chemicals, drugs, etc.).
• Chronic allergic urticaria: Chronic urticaria can be spontaneous (i.e. there is no external cause) or induced (i.e. due to natural causes such as heat, cold and pressure), but in either case it is not an allergy. A common trigger for chronic urticaria is stress.
• Non-allergic urticaria: It is caused by a number of things such as cold, sunlight, contact with a chemical or constant pressure on the skin.
• Cholinergic urticaria: It occurs after a fever or hot shower or nervous stress and is characterized by a small bump and a large erythema.
• Urticaria from natural causes: Natural causes are blamed for the specific form, which can be mechanical, thermal, sunlight, water, plants or substances.

THERAPY

Η acute urticaria usually by using antistamines subsides in less than 12 weeks.

Η chronic urticariabut it can last more than 6 months. Once the cause is found, an attempt to eliminate it begins, but this is not always possible, since many cases are idiopathic.

Regarding the symptom of itching, shall be granted in the first instance antistaminic drugs and maybe corticosteroids (cortisone). If patients with chronic urticaria do not respond to even the highest doses of antihistamines and their dermatosis is not due to an external cause, their treatment other medicines such as antileukotrienes, H2 antihistamines, immunomodulatory agents or a monoclonal antibody called omalizumab may be added.

Finally, for short bouts of chronic urticaria, systemic corticosteroids are given for a few days (usually 3-7).

Source : www.edae.gr/dermalogos/