Quality of life in patients with urticaria.

Patients with chronic urticaria have a poor quality of life (QOL). Chronic pruritus with variable appearance of urticaria and/or angioedema are typical of the uncertainty that compromise their QOL. Other issues such as fatigue, cost of therapy, and social isolation further contribute to the frustration that patients experience. Various instruments are available to measure the quality of life of patients with urticaria and can be adjunctive in the continued assessment of patients with this variable condition. In comparison with other dermatological and medical conditions, patients with chronic urticaria have a significantly worse QOL.