Current concepts of urticaria and angioedema

An operational classification based on immunoreactants provides insight to possible pathogenetic mechanisms participating in the genesis of urticaria and angioedema. Such an approach addresses the causes of urticaria and angioedema. Therapy can then be developed depending on the established mechanism-etiology. Unfortunately, in less than a third of the instances can a distinct etiology be established, but symptomatic therapy provides relief in a significant portion of such afflicted individuals.