Chronic urticaria is a mast cell-mediated condition characterized by the recurrent occurrence of urticaria and/or angioedema.
The current definitions and classification stratify urticaria according to time course and etiology:
Acute spontaneous urticaria: Spontaneous occurrence of wheals and/or angioedema for a total duration of fewer than six weeks.
Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU): Spontaneous occurrence of wheals and/or angioedema for a total duration of six weeks or more. This is synonymous with "chronic urticaria" and "chronic idiopathic urticaria."
Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU): Occurrence of wheals for a total duration of six weeks or more, which is inducible by physical factors (e.g., touch, pressure extremes). This is synonymous with "physical urticaria."
Copyright © 2024, StatPearls Publishing LLC.