Psychological components and the role of adjunct interventions in chronic idiopathic urticaria

A psychological assessment (Symptom Checklist-90) was performed on 19 patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria. Compared to the control group, the urticaria patients had significantly higher scores on the scales of somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, and anxiety. In general, the urticaria patients were quite anxious and experienced significant discomfort in interpersonal relationships. Based on the results of this study and other similar reports in the literature, it is suggested that adjunctive treatment of urticaria patients should focus primarily on stress management training aimed at relieving anxiety and group therapy which focuses on an exploration of interpersonal issues.