Complete remission of spontaneous chronic urticaria after treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection - case report and literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Urticaria is a common skin disorder that affects 15 to 20% of individuals at some age, being more frequent in adults. It is classified as chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) when symptoms occur daily or almost daily and exceeds six weeks. It is fundamental to determine the cause of CSU for the appropriate treatment.

Objective: The study reports a case of a patient who presented complete remission of CSU after treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection and with clinical and laboratory exclusion of the different causes of chronic urticaria.

Case report: 46-year-old woman who presented with CSU for 15 months, refractory to treatment with antihistamines. The clinical presentation and laboratory exams excluded different causes of chronic urticaria, such as neoplasms, infections, and autoimmune diseases. During follow-up, the patient complained of epigastric pain, when digestive endoscopy was required, which revealed erosive pangastritis and the presence of H. pylori. The patient received treatment for H. pylori infection and showed complete remission of urticaria. Literature studies suggest a possible association between H. pylori infection and chronic urticaria, and further studies are needed.

Conclusion: The authors believe that the diagnostic investigation of H. pylori infection in patients with CSU and dyspeptic manifestations is important, after excluding other causes of chronic urticaria, such as neoplasms and autoimmune and infectious diseases.