Impact of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria on Major Life-Changing Decisions: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study.

Background

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) profoundly impairs health-related quality of life due to intense pruritus and unpredictable flares. However, its specific influence on patients' major life-changing decisions (MLCD)-such as career choices, family planning, and personal relationships-remains under-researched. This study aimed to evaluate the overall impact of CSU on MLCD and analyze how disease severity modifies these fundamental life trajectories.

Methods

This exploratory, cross-sectional study included adult patients with active CSU (≥6 months' duration) consecutively recruited from a tertiary hospital. Clinical data were collected, and disease activity was captured via the validated patient-reported Urticaria Activity Score over 7 days (UAS7), categorizing patients as having severe (UAS7 ≥ 28) or mild-to-moderate (UAS7 < 28) disease activity. A 4-point Likert scale adapted from the conceptual framework by Bhatti et al. was used to assess the perceived impact across multiple life-changing decision domains.

Results

Thirty patients were evaluated (mean duration 5.6 years; mean UAS7 30.47). CSU substantially impacted MLCD, particularly lifestyle habits (70%), work performance (63.3%), domestic travel/leisure (60%), and clothing choices (60%). Patients with severe CSU reported a markedly higher impairment in professional career choices (52.6% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.030), work performance (84.2% vs. 37.5%, p = 0.036), educational attainment (25.0% vs. 0.0%, p = 0.038), family relationships (71.5% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.022), and lifestyle habits (90.5% vs. 22.2%, p = 0.002) compared to those with mild-to-moderate disease.

Conclusions

In this exploratory cohort, CSU was associated with substantial impairments in patients' MLCD, with a higher frequency of disruption observed among those with severe disease activity. These findings highlight the value of adopting a biopsychosocial perspective in clinical practice to support life trajectories alongside cutaneous symptom control.