Intestinal parasitic infestations in adult chronic spontaneous urticaria patients and the relation between them: A case–control study

Objectives Chronic urticaria (CU) is a prevalent allergic skin condition with variable symptoms and a complex etiology. It is characterized by the presence of itchy hives, angioedema, or both on at least twice-weekly basis for more than 6 weeks. The cause of CU has yet to be thoroughly established. It is unclear how intestinal parasites affect CU and whether they can trigger the clinical manifestations of allergic reactions. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestations in adults with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and explore their potential association. Material and Methods This was a case-control study that included 100 healthy individuals as group control and 100 patients suffering from CSU. All patients were examined for stool analysis to detect intestinal parasitic infestations. Results The age of patients ranged from 20 to 57. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestations was 66% in the CSU patients, which was statistically significantly higher as compared to the control group (16%) ( P < 0.001). There was a strong relationship between positive parasitic infestations and the severity of urticaria. There was a higher rate of positive parasitic infestations in the cases that did not respond to the full dose of antihistamine and needed a second line of treatment (92.9%) as compared to the cases treated only with antihistamine (55.6%) ( P < 0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestations was higher in CU patients and also correlated with its severity.