title: The Role of Platelets in Chronic Urticaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelets are implicated in many pathophysiological processes, including inflammation and immunity. Ever-growing evidence suggests the active involvement of platelets in the pathogenesis of various inflammatory disorders, including cutaneous inflammatory diseases. A limited number of studies have investigated the role of platelets in chronic urticaria (CU). In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the role of platelets in chronic spontaneous and inducible urticarias.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar, and the references of relevant literature were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, in CU patients, conflicting results have been obtained from the assessment of platelet indices, such as mean platelet volume, platelet count and distribution width, as well as markers of platelet aggregation and activation. Nevertheless, a few studies showed significant changes of such parameters in CU patients compared to controls, in apparent correlation with clinical severity, autoreactivity and/or inflammatory status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the absence of definitive conclusions, the pathogenic role of platelets in CU needs to be further explored. Platelets might represent a link between inflammation, coagulation and histamine release in the pathophysiological network of CU.
authors.affiliation: Dermatology and Venereology Private Practice, Bari and Barletta, Italy.
authors.forename: Gino Antonio
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Vena
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Angelo Valerio
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Marzano
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Asero
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000378:metabolism*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D010976:Platelet Count; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers