Chronic idiopathic urticaria, gastrointestinal symptoms and Helicobacter pylori infection

Abstract

Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is one of the most persistent and distressing skin diseases and the only treatment available is symptomatic in the form of H1 blockers and systemic steroids in severe cases. Chronic infections have always been implicated in the causation of chronic urticaria. The presence of associated gastrointestinal symptoms in a sizable percentage of patients of chronic urticaria as well as the chronic and asymptomatic nature of Helicobacter pylori infection make the possibility of an association between chronic urticaria and H. pylori infection a biologically plausible one. In the present study sixty patients of chronic idiopathic urticaria were evaluated along with an equal number of age and sex matched controls for presence of H. pylori infection by means of an ELISA-based serological test. All seropositive patients were then given eradication treatment for H. pylori infection and monitored for any improvement in signs and symptoms. The overall H. pylori seropositivity was found to be 60% in cases as compared with only 31.6% in control group. Furthermore, there was an overall response rate of 58% in those patients who were treated by H. pylori eradication therapy.