From: Autoimmune thyroid disease and urticarial vasculitis: is there a significant association?
Chronic spontaneous urticaria |
Spontaneous development of wheals, angioedema, or both for > 6 weeks. Wheals have the following characteristics |
1. Central swelling surrounded by reflex erythema. |
2. Itching, sometimes burning sensation |
3. Skin returning to normal appearance within 30 min to 24 h |
Urticarial vasculitis |
Clinical manifestations of urticaria characterized by wheals that are painful, burning, and tender in sensation. Lesions tend to last > 24 h and are associated with faint residual hyperpigmentation. Biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis, with the following findings |
1. Inflammatory injury to capillaries and postcapillary venules |
2. Leukocytoclasis with fibrinoid deposits as signs of direct vessel damage |