Evaluation of chronic idiopathic urticaria patients with autologous serum skin test

Abstract

Background: Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is a common disabling disorder. Sparse published data are available on the utility of autologous serum skin test (ASST) in patients with CIU from south India. Methods: We prospectively studied 81 patients with CIU and report their demographic characteristics, clinical spectrum and proportion of patients with positive ASST. Results: Their mean age was 35.2 ± 12.4 years; there were 50 (62%) females. ASST was positive in 39 (48%) patients.Daily attacks of urticaria were seen in 50 (62%), atopy was present in 18 (22%) and angioedema was present in 14 (17%) patients. Their median [interquartile range (IQR)] duration of disease was 28 (6-34) months and median (IQR) duration of single wheal was 20 (10-90) minutes.On univariate analysis, longer duration of single wheal, higher frequency of attacks and presence of angioedema were found to be associate with a positive ASST. Conclusions: ASST was positive in 39 (48%) patients with CIU. ASST-positive individuals are younger, had a statistically significant longer duration of single wheal (P = 0.001), higher frequency of attacks (P = 0.039) and occurrence of angioedema (P = 0.018). ASST positive patients had severe form of the disease.

Keywords

• autologous serum skin test
• chronic
• diagnosis
• idiopathic
• urticaria