Correlations between Anti-Mast Cell Autoantibodies and Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria

BACKGROUND The etiology of chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is not completely clear. There are a few antibodies were reported to correlate with CIU. OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation these antibodies and CIU. METHODS The autologous serum skin test (ASST) and allergens were performed. Serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), anti-FcεRI and anti-IgE, anti-Helicobacter pylori (HP) antibodies and anti-thyroglobulin antibody (TGAb) were measured in 100 patients with CIU, acute urticaria (AU) and normal controls respectively. RESULTS Eighty-six percent food or inhalant allergens were detected in AU patients, but no allergens were detected in CIU patients and normal controls. Serum anti-FcεRI antibody and anti-IgE antibody levels were higher in the CIU than that in the AU patients and normal controls (p<0.05, respectively). IgE level was lower in the CIU patients (T=190.00, p< 0.05), but increased in the AU patients (T=226.00, p<0.05) compared with the normal controls. The ASST positive rates in the CIU and the AU patients were 53.4% and 12.6% respectively, but all normal controls were negative. The anti-FcεRI antibody level was higher in the ASST-positive CIU patients than those negative ones (T=101.73, p<0.05). In anti-HP antibody positive and TGAb positive CIU patients, anti-FcεRI antibody positive rate was higher than AU patients (p<0.01) and normal controls (p<0.01). CONCLUSION The anti-FcεRI and anti-IgE antibodies play a key role in CIU, but anti-HP antibody and TGAb have an indirect correlation with CIU.