Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Cold Urticaria.

In brief While most cases of cold urticaria are mild and characterized only by pruritus, severe anaphylactic reaction is possible. Our patient, a healthy male runner, experienced intermittent and sometimes severe pruritus and severe urticaria after running in the cold. Avoiding cold air and cold water or using prophylactic medications that suppress the release of mast cell mediators has proved modestly successful in preventing and treating cold urticaria. Patients who develop cold urticaria often improve with time.