cholinergic urticaria

Cholinergic urticaria is one of the types of induced urticaria in which the hives appear after the body temperature increases to the point of sweating, such as after hot baths, exercise or emotional stress. The patient may experience itching, pain or a stinging sensation. Generally, patients experience a worsening of symptoms in the summer, so at this time we must be aware of this diagnosis.

It affects more people in the second and third decades of life and has a prevalence of 4.16 to 11.2% in the general population.

To diagnose this type of urticaria, it is possible to carry out a test that causes the patient's body temperature to increase through physical exercise or a hot bath.

The treatment of this type of urticaria is based on the same principles as the treatment of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria, i.e. the use of antihistamines, increased doses of antihistamines and, if there is still no control of symptoms, the use of immunobiologicals or immunosuppressants.

It is important to see a doctor for this diagnosis and correct medication management, with treatment it is possible to control cholinergic urticaria very well.

Bibliographic references:

1. Fukunaga A, Washio K, Hatakeyama M, Oda Y, Ogura K, Horikawa T, Nishigori C (2017) Cholinergic urticaria: epidemiology, physiopathology, new categorization, and management. Clin Auton Res
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7. Illig L, Paul E, Bruck K, Schwennicke HP (1980) Experimental investigations on the trigger mechanism of the generalized type of heat and cold urticaria by means of a climatic chamber. Acta Derm Venereol 60:373–380
8. Commens CA, Greaves MW (1978) Tests to establish the diagnosis in cholinergic urticaria. Br Dermatol 98:47–51