Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of autologous whole blood injections in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria and positive autologous serum skin test （ASST）. Methods After assessment of clinical history, patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria underwent skin prick test （SPT） and ASST. Then, 100 patients with positive ASST but negative SPT for common allergens were randomly classified into treatment group （n = 60） and control group （n = 40）. Oral loratadine was given to all the patients with a gradual tapering to the least maintenance dose. Patients in the treatment group were also injected with autologous whole blood once a week for 12 times. Patients were evaluated by urticaria activity score （UAS） and dermatology life quality index （DLQI） at the baseline, the end of the 3rd and 6th month after the initial treatment. The total amount of antihistamines required for the control of urticaria every month was calculated. The UAS, DLQI, accumulative amount of administrated antihistamines, and the diameter of wheal/flush induced by autologous serum were compared by t test before and after the treatment, and the efficacy was compared by rank sum test between the two groups. Results No significant difference was observed between the control and treatment group in UAS at the baseline （5.73 ± 0.51 vs. 5.32 ± 0.79, P > 0.05）. The UAS reached 1.57 ± 1.42 and 0.69 ± 0.92 with a decrease rate of 69% and 81% in the treatment group, and 3.65 ± 1.53 and 2.65 ± 1.61 with a decrease rate of 35% and 53% in the control group, respectively at the end of the 3rd and 6th month, and statistical difference was observed for the decrease in both groups at the two time points （all P < 0.05）. The total amount of antihistamines required for the control of urticaria per month averaged 8.63 pills and 3.83 pills respectively in the treatment group after 3 and 6 months of treatment, significantly less than that in the control group （16.85 and 15.27 pills, respectively）. Conclusions The combination of oral antihistamine and autologous whole blood injections can not only reduce disease activity and improve patients′ quality of life, but also decrease the total amount of antihistamines required for the control of urticaria.

Key words: autologus whole blood injection