A Study of an Autologous Serum Skin Test and Helicobacter pylori Infection in Patients with Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although the pathogenesis of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) has not yet been fully elucidated, previous studies have identified functional histamine-releasing autoantibodies against the alphasubunit of the high affinity IgE receptor (Fcepsilon I) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. OBJECTIVE: To investigate a possible association of autoimmunity and H. pylori infection with chronic idiopathic urticaria. METHODS: We prospectively performed autologous serum skin tests (ASST) and urea-breath tests (UBT) on patients with CIU. We also checked clinical features. Amoxicillin and clarithromycin combined with a proton pump inhibitor was administrated as therapy for 1 week to patients that were UBT positive. We rechecked the UBT test 4 weeks later and rechecked the clinical features 6 weeks after eradication of the infection. RESULTS: A positive result to the ASST was experienced by 56 patients (39.2%) with CIU; UBT was found in 48 patients (62.5%) with CIU. There were no significant differences in clinical features between patients with positive tests and those with negative tests. After eradication, 26 of 30 (86.7%) patients that were UBT positive showed significant clinical remission of the urticaria. CONCLUSION: According to our results, ASST is not helpful for predicting the severity or clinical course of CIU, but eradication of H. pylori in patients with chronic urticaria induces clinical remission of the urticaria.