3. URTICARIA
• Is a heterogenous group of disorders characterised by itchy wheals ,
which develops due to evanescent oedema of dermis ( and
sometimes of subcutis).
9. CLINICAL FEATURES
SYMPTOMS
• Itching is prominent , especially if wheals are superficial.
• However patient tend to rub rather than scratch their lesion , so
scratch marks are not seen.
GENERAL FEATURES :
10. Pale , pink , edematous
wheals with surrounding
flare
11. MORPHOLOGY
• Lesions begin as erythematous macules ,
which rapidly evolve into pale pink
edematous WHEALS with surrounding
flare.
• Larger lesions may be annular with paler
centre.
13. EVOLUTION
• Wheals last a few hours and resolve within 24-48 hours leaving
behind normal skin.
• Individual hives can last from as briefly as 30 minutes to as long as 36
hours.
• Wheals of cholinergic urticaria subside within a few minutes.
14. NUMBER AND SIZE
• Number and size of wheals are variable.
• They can be as small as a millimeter or 6 to 8 inches in
diameter (giant Urticaria).
• Cholinergic urticaria a type of inducible or physical
urticaria is characterised by PIN POINT WHEALS.
15. SHAPE
• Shape can be circular , annular ,
arcuate, serpiginous or bizarre.
• Dermographic urticaria is characterised
by linear wheals.
17. ANGIOEDEMA
• Half the patients with urticaria have associated episodes of
angioedema in which pale pink swellings occur especially on the face
affecting eyelids and lips and sometimes genitalia.
• May also be associated with swelling of tongue , pharynx , larynx,
(when the patient presents to the medical emergency ).
• Itching is minimal and the swelling may last for several days.
18.
19. Pale , pink , swelling of the lips . May be
associated with swelling of tongue ,
pharynx and larynx .
20. Urticaria and angioedema.
This patient has
• urticaria occurring on the face, neck, and upper trunk with
• angioedema about the eyes.
21. Associated features
Urticaria may also be associated with systemic symptoms in the form of
• Malaise
• Fever
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• Arthralgia
• dizziness
• syncope
• anaphylaxis ( with severe acute urticaria )
22. Type of urticaria Morphology
Dermographic urticaria Linear wheals
Cholinergic urticaria Small , very transient wheals
Cold urticaria Small , large wheals
Solar urticaria Lesions on photo exposed parts
Delayed pressure urticaria Urticaria develops 3-6 hours after pressure . Lasts
for 12-72 hours.
Buttocks (prolonged sitting),Hands (in manual
workers),Under Feet (prolonged walking) and
Waist (tight underclothes).
23. • Simply rubbing, scratching the skin promotes linear hives within
minutes.
• Typically is short-lived in duration (1/2 to 3 hours) and responds
readily to antihistamines.
• Linear wheals.
24. TRIPLE RESPONSE
• When the line is made by a pointed object ( like a key ) three
reactions are seen in succession.
• All these together are called TRIPLE RESPONSE and the reactions are
RED , FLARE , WHEAL.
• It was described by Lewis and is also called TRIPLE RESPONSE OF
LEWIS.
• It is produced due to the release of histamine from the mast cells.
• Urticaria is defined as a skin lesion consisting of a wheal-and-flare
reaction in which Iocalised intracutaneous edema (wheal) is
surrounded by an area of redness (erythema) that is typically pruritic.