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Clinical and Experimental Medicine
Published in: Clinical and Experimental Medicine 3/2013

01-08-2013 | Review Article

Chronic spontaneous urticaria: an autoimmune disease? A revision of the literature

Authors: Gabriele Di Lorenzo, Maria Stefania Leto-Barone, Simona La Piana, Aurelio Seidita, Giovam Battista Rini

Published in: Clinical and Experimental Medicine | Issue 3/2013

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Abstract

The cause of chronic spontaneous urticaria has been an enigma for decades, but the recognition of functional autoantibodies in some patients with the spontaneous chronic urticaria has opened up a new concept of autoimmune urticaria. Clinical and laboratory features are in keeping with an autoimmune aetiology for many patients with otherwise inexplicable disease, but there is still debate about the importance of functional autoantibodies in the disease pathogenesis, how to test them and the clinical implications for treatment and prognosis. This review will look at the evidence for there being an autoimmune subset of urticaria, the strengths and weaknesses of the available tests in current use.
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Metadata
Title
Chronic spontaneous urticaria: an autoimmune disease? A revision of the literature
Authors
Gabriele Di Lorenzo
Maria Stefania Leto-Barone
Simona La Piana
Aurelio Seidita
Giovam Battista Rini
Publication date
01-08-2013
Publisher
Springer Milan
Published in
Clinical and Experimental Medicine / Issue 3/2013
Print ISSN: 1591-8890
Electronic ISSN: 1591-9528
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10238-012-0188-3

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