Most people have experienced hives at some point—those itchy, raised welts that flare up in response to something like food, fabric, or pollen. But imagine breaking out in hives for weeks on end, with no warning and no known cause.
This is the reality for people living with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), a condition in which hives appear suddenly without any external trigger or known cause and persist for longer than six weeks. The symptoms can be severe, yet CSU remains misunderstood and often misdiagnosed.
Even those with a confirmed diagnosis often struggle to control their CSU. Most people are advised to take antihistamines to manage their symptoms. However, ~50% of patients still experience symptoms despite treatment with antihistamines.
Key Points:
~1.7 million people in the US living with CSU.
On average, it may take two to four years for patients to receive an accurate CSU diagnosis.
Women are nearly twice as likely to experience CSU than men.
Peak age of incidence is between 20 and 40 years.
Following World Urticaria day, which is observed on October 1, Dermatologist, Adam Friedman, MD, FAAD, Professor and Chair of Dermatology, GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, was available to explain more about CSU, the symptoms, who is impacted, and how it can affect the daily lives of those with the condition. He also spoke about treatments available for the condition.
(Note: interview is audio only.)
Interview courtesy: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
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