The overlap syndrome of urticaria and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Background: One-quarter of systemic symptoms associated with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) are related to gastrointestinal complaints (GICs).

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and features of urticaria-overlapping GICs.

Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional survey, 1426 consecutive outpatients were observed at our University Department.

Telaprevir may induce adverse cutaneous reactions by a T cell immune-mediated mechanism.

The HCV protease inhibitor telaprevir associated with peginterferon-alpha and ribavirin, was widely used in the recent past as standard treatment in HCV genotype-1 infected patients. Telaprevir improves the sustained virology response rates, but at the same time increases the frequency of adverse cutaneous reactions. However, mechanisms through which telaprevir induces cutaneous lesions are not yet defined.

Omalizumab for difficult-to-treat dermatological conditions: clinical and immunological features from a retrospective real-life experience.

Background: Omalizumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody specific for human IgE, has thus far been used as add-on therapy for moderate-to-severe allergic asthma in adults and children.

Objective: The objective of this study was to test omalizumab efficacy in other conditions in which the IgE-mast cell axis is supposed to play a role.

Methods: Nine patients with dermatological manifestations possibly related to activation of the IgE-mast cell axis (six chronic spontaneous urticaria and three atopic dermatitis patients) were administered off-label omalizumab because of refractoriness to standard therapy.