Urticaria crónica. Evolución clínica, prueba del suero autólogo, recuento y activación de basófilos. / [Chronic urticaria. Clinical evolution, autologous serum test, count and activation of basophils]

ABSTRACT

Recent advances on the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria have defined a group of patients with autoantibodies directed to the IgE or to the alpha chain of the Fc high affinity receptor of IgE, Fc epsilon RI alpha. These antibodies are detected in vivo through the autologous serum test (AST) and in vitro with a variety of techniques. We here describe 37 patients with chronic urticaria, 28 female and 9 male, with a f/m ratio of 3.1. Mean age at onset was 36.5 years (range 16-78). AST was positive in 25 (68