Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria: A Review

Chronic spontaneous urticaria affects approximately 1% of the general population worldwide, including approximately 3 million people in the US, impairs patients' quality of life, and is associated with multiple comorbidities.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria affects patients of any age but is most common in females aged 30 to 50 years. Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, ie, spontaneously recurring wheals, angioedema, or both. Chronic spontaneous urticaria persists for more than 1 year in most patients (1 or repeated episodes) and may present with comorbidities including chronic inducible urticaria (>10%), autoimmune thyroiditis (approximately 20%), metabolic syndrome (6%-20%), and anxiety (10%-31%) and depression (7%-29%). Known autoimmune endotypes (subtypes of urticaria defined by distinct pathogenesis) of chronic spontaneous urticaria are mediated by mast cell-activating IgE and/or IgG autoantibodies (>50%). Approximately 40% of patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria have a Dermatology Life Quality Index of more than 10, corresponding to a very large or extremely large negative effect on quality of life. Second-generation H1 antihistamines are first-line treatment; partial or complete response, defined as a reduction in urticaria symptoms of greater than 50%, is observed in approximately 40% of patients. The 2022 international urticaria guideline recommends the monoclonal anti-IgE antibody omalizumab as second-line treatment for antihistamine-refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria. However, at least 30% of patients have an insufficient response to omalizumab, especially those with IgG-mediated autoimmune urticaria. Cyclosporine, used off-label, can improve symptoms in approximately 54% to 73% of patients, especially those with autoimmune chronic spontaneous urticaria and nonresponse to omalizumab, but has adverse effects such as kidney dysfunction and hypertension.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria is an inflammatory skin disease associated with medical and psychiatric comorbidities and impaired quality of life. Second-generation H1 antihistamines are first-line treatment, omalizumab is second-line treatment, and cyclosporine is third-line treatment for chronic spontaneous urticaria.