title: Chronic urticaria and Helicobacter pylori.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the clinical manifestations of chronic urticaria (CU) are similar in most patients, a variety of factors should be taken into consideration. In general, the cause of CU cannot be determined in most patients, and it is considered idiopathic. In the past several years, relationships between some patients with CU and hepatitis C or autoimmune thyroid diseases have been established. Similarly, other factors may also be considered as possible causes to explain certain patients with CU. Previously, some patients with CU have had their disease attributed to Helicobacter pylori (HP), but the relationship was only clinical.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  None of the patients previously described included an immunological study. Thus, we studied a patient with CU, who showed marked clinical improvement after eradication of HP, to demonstrate an IgE relationship with this skin disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  First, blood analytical parameters, roentgenograms, fecal examination for parasites, and skin tests were performed to try to establish an etiology. In addition, endoscopy with gastric biopsy confirmed HP colonization, and eradication treatment was prescribed. To investigate an immunological relationship, other tests performed included the following: HP-specific IgG, histamine release induced by HP, HP-specific IgE, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blood analytical parameters, roentgenograms, fecal examination for parasites, and skin tests were all negative. In contrast, the tests for HP-specific IgG, histamine release induced by HP, and HP-specific IgE were all positive. In addition, the sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with immunoblotting showed specific IgE binding to an extract of HP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results may indicate an immunological IgE relationship between HP colonization and CU in this particular patient.
authors: Department of Allergy, Hospital Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. med021293@nacom.es
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Gala Ortiz
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cuevas Agustín
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Erias Martínez
authors: B
authors: B
authors: de la Hoz Caballer
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Fernández Ordoñez
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hinojosa Macías
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Boixeda
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Losada Cosmes
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014581:Urticaria / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007073:Immunoglobulin E