A case of normocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis triggered by urinary tract infection

Abstract

Urticaria, also known colloquially as hives, is a vascular reaction characterized by itchy, edematous plaques and papules, which develops by immunological or non-immunological mechanisms after the exposure to a triggering stimulant. Painless and itchy lesions that blanch upon pressure and fade spontaneously within 48 hours are the characteristic feature of the condition. In the case of urticarial vasculitis, on the other hand, the plaques, which last for at least 24 hours and present with burning, pain, and itching, leave a pigmentation behind when fading, and exhibit the histopathological characteristics of leukoclastic vasculitis. Urticarial vasculitis, which constitutes 5-20% of all chronic urticaria cases, is more common in the fourth decade of life and women.