CURRENT CONCEPTS - CHRONIC URTICARIA

Though rarely life-threatening, widespread urticaria and its associated angioedema can be both debilitating and frightening. In some cases, lingual swelling requires treatment with epinephrine. Although accurate data on the prevalence of urticaria are unavailable, 15 to 23 percent of the U.S. population may have had this condition,1,2 which in many cases is prolonged and relapsing. On the basis of published data,3 a similar prevalence in the United Kingdom seems probable. Chronic urticaria is likely to be present at some time in about 25 percent of patients with urticaria. By chronic urticaria, I mean the occurrence of widespread wheals daily. © 1995, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.