Chronic urticaria in adults: state-of-the-art in the new millennium

• Published in: Anais brasileiros de dermatología Vol. 90; no. 1; pp. 74 - 89
• Main Authors: Criado, Paulo Ricardo, Criado, Roberta Facchini Jardim, Maruta, Celina Wakisaka, Reis, Vitor Manoel Silva dos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Dermatologia 01-01-2015
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Adult; Angioedema; Anti-Allergic Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Biological factors; Chronic Disease; Colchicine; Cyclosporine; Dapsone; DERMATOLOGY; Female; Histamine Antagonists - therapeutic use; Humans; Immunosuppressive agents; Male; Review; Skin Tests; Urticaria; Urticaria - classification; Urticaria - drug therapy; Urticaria - etiology; Urticaria - pathology; Urticaria; Angioedema; Dapsone; Colchicine; Cyclosporine; Biological factors; Immunosuppressive agents
• ISSN: 0365-0596; 1806-4841; 1806-4841; 0365-0596
• DOI: 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20153509

Chronic urticaria has been explored in several investigative aspects in the new millennium, either as to its pathogenesis, its stand as an autoimmune or auto-reactive disease, the correlation with HLA-linked genetic factors, especially with class II or its interrelation with the coagulation and fibrinolysis systems. New second-generation antihistamines, which act as good symptomatic drugs, emerged and were commercialized over the last decade. Old and new drugs that may interfere with the pathophysiology of the disease, such as cyclosporine and omalizumab have been developed and used as treatments. The purpose of this article is to describe the current state of knowledge on aspects of chronic urticaria such as, pathophysiology, diagnosis and the current therapeutic approach proposed in the literature.