Chronic Urticaria: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is chronic urticaria?
Chronic urticaria is a skin disease characterized by recurrent, transitory, pruritic erythematous wheals (hives) present for at least 6 weeks.
2. Which patients should be tested?
Any patient with chronic urticaria for whom the etiology (cause) has not yet been determined.
3. What are the other (thyroid) tests in the CU Index™Panel for?
Since a proportion of patients with autoimmune CU also have thyroid-specific autoantibodies, screening for these antibodies may be indicated in some patients and may uncover an occult thyroid disorder.
In a recent article on chronic urticaria, Dr. Malcom Greaves states: “the association between thyroid disease and CU is sufficiently strong to prompt adding measurement of the plasma level of thyroid stimulating hormone level (as a screen for thyroid dysfunction) and thyroid autoantibodies to the routine workup of the CU patient.” (Clinic Rev Allerg Immunol. 2007. 33:139)
4. What is the sample requirement?
Serum - Blood should be collected and allowed to clot prior to centrifugation.
CU Index™ Test #2103 – 1mL serum required
CU Index™ Panel, #403005 – 3mL serum required
If you would like us to work with your local laboratory to help facilitate ordering chronic urticaria, or other IBT tests, for your patients, please send an email to: testing@ibtlabs.com.
5. What does the test measure?
The test measures antibodies to 1) the FcεRαI, 2) the low affinity IgE receptor, 3) IgE, 4) possibly other cell membrane molecules. In addition, other histamine releasing factors may also be involved in triggering basophil reactivity.
6. What drugs will/won’t interfere with the test?
Patients on prednisone should stop the medication 14 days prior to draw. Patients on calcineurin inhibitors (cyclosporine, ascomycin) should stop the medication 72 hours prior to draw. The use of antihistamines will not interfere with test results.
7. What are other names for this test?
The CU Autoantibody Signature™ Test, Functional Anti-FcεR Test
8. What is the turnaround time for the test?
2-3 days from sample receipt
9. Will insurance pay for the test?
Due to the variable nature of insurance coverage, we cannot say whether an individual company will pay for this test. In order to assist patients if reimbursement is denied, we have prepared a sample insurance appeal letter that we hope will be useful for patients.

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