Premium
Localised heat urticaria and its management
Author(s) -
TATNALL F.M.,
GAYLARDE P.M.,
SARKANY I.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1984.tb00818.x
Subject(s) - histamine , heat stress , medicine , dermatology , biology , zoology
Summary Localised heat urticaria is very rare and it is characterised by the development of whealing limited to the area of heat contact. It is easily differentiated from the more common cholinergic type of heat urticaria which is induced by heat, moderate exertion and emotional stress. This paper describes a case report of localised heat urticaria. To date only two cases have been reported from Great Britain. Our investigations showed that the threshold temperature needed for induction of the heat urticaria varied between 38°C and 40.1°C. The urticaria only appeared on cooling and was accompanied by a rise in plasma histamine. The reaction was suppressed by local but not systemic antihistamines. It was found that tolerance to heat followed both sub‐threshold and suprathreshold exposure. The patient was desensitised with minimal production of urticaria. He remains symptom free after 6 months provided that he is exposed to a hot bath every third day. Localised heat urticaria is the rarest of the physical urticarias. So far only nineteen cases have been reported. It is characterized by the development of whealing limited to the area of heat contact. The other, more common form of heat urticaria is the cholinergic variety, in which the urticaria is typically of small pattern and widespread. This report is concerned with a patient with non‐cholinergic localised heat urticaria. We present the results of clinical and pharmacological studies and describe his successful desensitisation and the maintenance of tolerance to heat.