title: Symptomatic dermographism: an inadequately described disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Symptomatic dermographism is the most common form of physical urticaria with a prevalence of 2-5%. However, its clinical picture has rarely been described.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To understand more of patients' views about the practical aspects of their condition, its cause and impact on quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-one of 150 patients with symptomatic dermographism from our specialist urticaria clinic completed a 38-question questionnaire sent them by mail.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration of disease was 6¼ years. In most patients, the condition was continuous, but ~25% had prolonged symptom-free phases. Severity was evaluated as moderate in 45%, severe in 33% and very severe in 6% of respondents. Other responses included: symptoms worse in the evening in 81%; quality of life significantly impaired in 44%; normal life not possible 7%; stress induces acute episodes 44%; other urticarial forms coexist 21%; allergy coexist 48%. A family history was reported in 14%. Almost all patients were taking H1 -anti-histamines, 49% getting marked improvement and 23% becoming symptoms free.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is a survey only of patient opinions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This questionnaire survey confirmed that symptomatic dermographism is a debilitating condition with profound effects on quality of life but its underlying cause and disease mechanisms remain obscure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergie-Centrum-Charité, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schoepke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Młynek
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Church
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurer
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011537:Pruritus / Q000209:etiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014581:Urticaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists