Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Severity Relating to TNF-Alpha Serum Concentration

TL;DR

This study found that higher levels of TNF-alpha in the blood are linked to more severe symptoms in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria.

Contribution

The study demonstrates a moderate correlation between TNF-alpha serum levels and symptom severity in CSU patients.

Findings

TNF-alpha levels were significantly higher in CSU patients compared to healthy controls.

TNF-alpha levels moderately correlated with UAS7 and pruritus scores in CSU patients.

Abstract

Background: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a prevalent skin disorder characterized by frequent recurrences. While its pathogenesis is closely associated with histamine and vascular activating mediators released by mast cells, some research suggests cytokines, notably tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), could play a pivotal role in its pathology and symptom presentation.

Objective: This study evaluated serum levels of TNF-alpha in CSU patients and explored its correlation with clinical symptoms and severity at the University Medical Center at Ho Chi Minh City.

Methods: We enrolled 60 adult patients (age ≥ 18) with CSU, assessing their clinical symptoms using the UAS7 scoring system. TNF-alpha levels were determined utilizing the Avi Bion Human TNF-alpha kit. For comparative purposes, we also studied TNF-alpha levels in 30 healthy adult participants as a control group.

Results: The male-to-female ratio stood at roughly 1:2.3, and the median age was 36 (28–42). Notably, the mean serum concentrations of TNF-alpha in the patient group were considerably elevated compared to the control group (p < 0.001). A significant positive moderate correlation was found between serum concentrations of TNF-alpha and UAS7 score (r = 0.57; p < 0.001). Similarly, a notable positive moderate correlation between serum levels of TNF-alpha and pruritus scores was observed (r = 0.45; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Serum levels of TNF-alpha are markedly increased in patients with CSU and show a moderate correlation with both UAS7 and pruritus scores. These findings suggest that TNF-alpha might play a potential role in the pathogenesis of CSU. However, further research involving a more extensive sample size is essential to draw definitive conclusions.

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