Chronic spontaneous urticaria or autoinflammatory disease? The therapeutic effect of omalizumab in a pediatric patient.

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a clinical condition characterized by spontaneous or inducible recurrent wheals. This condition may significantly affect quality of life of patients and of their families. Etiology is not identified in 25-85% of cases that are indicated as 'idiopathic', because all diagnostic tests are negative. Autoimmune processes may be present in 30-50% of patients, although a definite etiological diagnosis is seldom possible. Some patients, in fact, have autoantibodies against the high-affinity IgE receptor FceR1 or IgE. These patients show an increased incidence of anti-thyroid autoantibodies and represent 30-50% of the patients designated as having CSU. Familial…