[Urticaria: diagnosis and treatment]

Urticaria is a common inflammatory skin disease. It is clinically defined as the occurrence of transient papular skin and/or mucosal lesions or subcutaneous lesions called angioedema. Chronic urticaria is defined as a clinical course over more than 6weeks. Different clinical forms of urticaria can coexist in the same patient. Urticaria results of mast cell activation. The diagnosis of urticaria is based on clinical examination. An allergic etiology for acute urticaria, although rare, is always to find and remove. Chronic urticaria is not allergic. Diagnosis is based on questioning and a careful clinical examination to rule out differential diagnoses. Few diagnostic tests are necessary for diagnosis and management, and are especially useful in case of doubtful diagnosis. The treatment of urticaria is symptomatic and based on anti-H1 second generation antihistamines as first-line therapy. In some chronic urticarial, antihistamines up dosing may be necessary. In the majority of patients, this treatment is sufficient to control chronic urticaria. In case of antihistamines failure, other treatment particularly immunomodulatory treatments can be offered in specialized departments.