Autoimmune urticaria
Evidence: Antibody
Names
Autoimmune urticaria
Chronic “idiopathic” urticaria (CIU)
Chronic urticaria
Physical urticaria
Urticarial vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels)
Description
Autoimmune urticaria occurs when the immune system attacks the normal tissues of the body, resulting in hives. The condition becomes chronic when the lesions persists longer than 6 weeks. Chronic autoimmune urticaria has been found to be associated with autoimmune thyroid disease.
Urticaria can also be caused by allergic reaction to plants like poison ivy, dyes found in clothing, and cosmetics. An allergic reaction is not an autoimmune disease because there is no involvement by the adaptive immune system and auto-antibodies that attack your own cells are not involved. There are antibodies (IgE antibodies), but they target the invading molecules (e.g., poison ivy), not the cells in the skin. In autoimmune urticaria, the antibodies created are attacking the skin itself, not an invading molecule.
Patient Groups
Prevalence
US cases: 2.5 million [Zuberbier 2010]. This represents chronic cases, defined as cases that presented for a period of at least 12 months. Urticaria itself is common, but most cases, especially those that are not chronic, are not autoimmune.
Typical Age of onset
Children - Unknown at this time.
Adult - 20-40
Symptoms
Red or skin colored welts, can vary in size, shape and appear anywhere on the body
Severe itching
Painful swelling of the lips, eyelids and inside the throat
Symptoms can flare with triggers such as heat, exercise and stress
Signs and Symptoms persist for more than 6 weeks and to recur frequently and unexpectedly
Source: Mayo Clinic
