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Cholinergic urticaria. A seasonal disease
Archives of Internal Medicine
|July 1, 1981
Summary
Cholinergic urticaria symptoms in young patients occur in winter when exposed to heat without prior acclimatization. Heat acclimatization can eliminate these allergic skin reactions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Allergology
- Environmental Medicine
Background:
- Cholinergic urticaria (CU) is a condition characterized by hives triggered by heat or exercise.
- Patients often report seasonal variations in symptom severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of heat acclimatization in the seasonal occurrence of cholinergic urticaria.
- To determine if environmental temperature and heat exposure influence CU symptoms.
Main Methods:
- Nine young patients with self-reported winter-exclusive CU were tested in a climatic room during winter and summer.
- Climatic conditions included cold, comfort, and severe heat exposure in each season.
Main Results:
- All patients experienced severe CU symptoms in winter under comfortable and hot conditions.
- No symptoms were observed in summer or during cold winter conditions.
- Symptoms were linked to heat exposure in unacclimatized individuals.
Conclusions:
- Cholinergic urticaria symptoms in these patients are triggered by heat exposure when unacclimatized.
- Artificial heat acclimatization effectively eliminated CU symptoms, suggesting a key role for acclimatization status.