A Retrospective Study of Outcome in Omalizumab Therapy in Chronic Urticaria, a Real Experience on 36 Kuwaiti Patients from a Single Tertiary Dermatology Center

Chronic urticaria (CU) is a common skin disease, characterized with wheals and itching, with or without angioedema. It is inflicting a substantial burden for patients, their family, and friends, the healthcare system,and society Chronic urticaria impacts -quality of life more than coronary artery disease or respiratory allergy. First line of the therapy are antihistamines. However,H1-antihistamine treatment leads to absenceof symptoms in fewer than 50% of patients. Up-dosing of second-generation H1-antihistamines (up to fourfold) as recommended by the urticaria guideline, as second-line therapy can improve response; however, many cases do not respondto antihistamines and need a more effectiveapproach Second line would be to increasethe dose of antihistamines, above the licensed doses, is frequently required and still leaves a substantial proportion of patients symptomatic. Hence, short-term corticosteroid therapy (3–7 days) may be required. Unfortunately, for most unresponsive CU patients’ longer periods of corticosteroid therapy are needed and are associated with numerous undesired side effects.