Aspirin-induced urticaria--a clinical study.

This paper describes the clinical characteristics of patients with aspirin-induced urticaria. The group of 71 patients (49 women and 22 men), with a mean duration of symptoms of 32.5 years, underwent allergological, laryngological and histamine dihydrochloride inhalation tests. Nasal polyps were found in 2 patients (2.8%), atopic disease in 23 (32.3%) and at least one feature of atopy in 37 (51.9%). Forty-nine patients (69%) suffered from urticaria which was not associated with aspirin. In 22 patients, urticaria developed solely due to aspirin. Urticaria not associated with aspirin has been present from 2 weeks to 30 years before the onset of sensitivity to aspirin. The authors conclude that aspirin-induced urticaria results from two different concomitant phenomena, i.e. sensitivity to aspirin and urticaria not associated with ingestion of the drug.