Update on urticaria and angioedema (hives).

The update on urticaria involves new concepts on the pathogenesis and the treatment of severe hives that are unresponsive to conventional treatments. A newly described autoantibody IgG against IgE receptor has been identified in some severe chronic urticaria patients. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating agents are being used with increasing frequency by academic faculty and other physicians in severe chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU).