CASE REPORT   

Esperienze Dermatologiche 2020 March;22(1):10-2

DOI: 10.23736/S1128-9155.20.00497-5

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Omalizumab long-term efficacy in a patient with chronic spontaneous and inducible urticaria

Maria MARIANO ✉, Maria G. DE ROCCO, Norma CAMELI, Antonio CRISTAUDO

Unit of Allergological and Occupational Dermatology, IRCCS San Gallicano Dermatological Institute, Rome, Italy

Chronic urticaria is defined by the presence of wheals and angioedema for a period >6 weeks with an estimated prevalence of 1%. It can be either spontaneous (chronic spontaneous urticaria, CSU) or inducible (chronic inducible urticaria, CIndU), and both types can occur in the same patient, with up to 76% of patients with CSU reporting a concurrent CIndU. Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody binding to immunoglobulin E which reduces the levels of free IgE abd downregulates IgE receptors on mast cells and basophils. Omalizumab is approved for use in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU); however, it is not approved for CIndU. A strong body of evidence supports the use of omalizumab in the treatment of patients with therapy-refractory CIndU. We report a case of long-term efficacy of omalizumab in a patient affected with both chronic spontaneous and inducible urticaria (delayed-pressure and cholinergic urticaria) with 1-year follow-up.

KEY WORDS: Chronic urticaria; Omalizumab; Skin diseases