[Urticarial vasculitis].

Knowledge of urticarial vasculitis is very important, because its therapy and prognosis are different to other clinically similar diseases, eg idiopathic urticaria. We present a 72-year-old female patient suffering from recurrent urticaria associated with slight fever, arthralgia, occasional abdominal pain, as well as highly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Histologic examination of involved skin revealed leucocytoclastic vasculitis. Corticosteroid treatment led to clinical improvement. Courses of urticarial vasculitis may vary to a high degree; the clinical spectrum of urticarial vasculitis may turn to ranges from chronic idiopathic urticaria to systemic lupus erythematosus. Clinical hallmarks of urticarial vasculitis are slowly (within 72 hours) regressing wheals, arthralgia, as well as highly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.