title: Clinical and laboratory features of chronic idiopathic urticaria in the elderly.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few data regarding epidemiology and clinical features of urticarial diseases in the elderly population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the clinical and laboratory characteristics of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) in the geriatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Electronic medical records of outpatient allergy consultations due to a diagnosis of CIU were retrospectively reviewed to collect demographic data, urticaria activity score, results of autologous serum skin test (ASST), and laboratory workup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1598 patients with chronic urticaria, there were 1319 (82.5%) adult (adult CIU group) and 124 (9.4%) elderly subjects (elderly CIU group). The elderly CIU group was characterized by lower prevalence (46.7%) of women compared to the adult CIU group (69.2%; P = 0.022); fewer wheals (1.4 ± 0.5) vs. (2.3 ± 0.7; P < 0.001); lower rates of concomitant symptomatic dermographism 2 (2.2%) vs. 121 (12.6%; P = 0.003); and lower rates of angioedema, 3 (14.1%) vs. 362 (37.8%; P < 0.001). Fewer elderly patients with CIU (18.1%) than adult patients with CIU (44.7%; P = 0.019) demonstrated a positive ASST. There were no differences in laboratory data between the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CIU in the elderly population is nearly equally distributed in both sexes and is characterized by fewer wheals, lower rates of concomitant symptomatic dermographism, lower rates of angioedema, and lower ASST positivity.
authors.affiliation: Leumit Health Services, Barzilai Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of Negev, Ashkelon, Israel; Medicine B Department, Barzilai Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of Negev, Ashkelon, Israel; Allergy and Clinical Immunology Unit, Barzilai Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of Negev, Ashkelon, Israel.
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Magen
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mishal
authors.forename: Menachem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schlesinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000799:Angioedema / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D044967:Serum / Q000276:immunology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012882:Skin Tests; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006633:Histamine Antagonists