SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2006

12/18/06

Platelet activation in chronic urticaria

Summary
Background – Autoimmune disorders are sometimes accompanied by evidence of platelet activation as manifested by increased plasma levels of platelet factor 4 (PF-4). There is evidence of autoimmunity in about 50-60% of those with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) as detected by a positive autologous serum skin test (ASST). Are plasma PF-4 levels increased in such CIU patients?

Findings – Kasperska-Zajac et al of the Medical Univ of Silesia in Poland compared plasma PF-4 levels in: 1) CIU patients with positive ASST, with and without anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies; 2) normal age- matched controls. No significant differences in PF-4 levels were seen. There was no correlation between PF-4 and anti-thyroid antibody levels in individual sera.

Reference
Autoimmunity 2006;39:265-8

Editor's Comments
These “negative” findings were not surprising to me. There is a correlation between levels of anti-Fc epsilon RI antibodies (the main cause of positive ASST) and anti-thyroid antibodies in CIU patients. However, most studies find that the frequency of other autoimmune reactivity is not increased in CIU patients.

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