Methotrexate therapy in chronic idiopathic urticaria with negative autologous serum skin test

 

Ketki S Chavanda¹, Ajay G Ovhal^2*, Jerajani H R³, Satish Udare⁴

 

 

Abstract              Background: Chronic urticaria is a relatively common disorder that can be severe and may impair quality of life. The management of recalcitrant chronic urticaria that is not responding to histamine antagonists includes short-term systemic corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs and immunomodulatory agents, such as cyclosporine, methotrexate, plasmapheresis and intravenous immunoglobulin. In this study we treated patients of chronic urticaria with ASST negative to see the effect of methotrexate therapy. Aim and Objective: to study the effect of methotrexate therapy in chronic idiopathic Urticaria with negative Autologous Serum Skin Test Methodology: Total 60 patients with history of urticaria for more than 6 weeks were studied. ASST was done. ASST negative patients were studied. Methotrexate therapy was started and data was collected regarding effect of this drug. Results and Discussion: The mean UAS in ASST negative patients at baseline was 4.9 and at 8 weeks was 0.4.The mean frequency of attacks in ASST negative at baseline was 9.9 and at 8 weeks was 2.75. The mean frequency of antihistamine drugs taken in ASST negative patients was 2.62 at baseline and 0.32 at 8 weeks. The difference in values at baseline and at 8 weeks of all the three parameters – UAS, frequency of attacks and frequency of antihistamine drug taken was statistically significant.

Key Words: Methotrexate therapy.