Understanding Chronic Urticaria Is the Focus of World Allergy Week 2017
Milwaukee, WI (PRWEB) March 10, 2017 -- World Allergy Organization (WAO), together with its member societies around the world, will host World Allergy Week from April 2-8, 2017. The theme and educational focus will be: The Agony of Hives – What to do when hives and swelling will not go away.
Chronic urticaria is defined as episodic or daily hives lasting for at least six weeks and impairing quality of life. To date, there is no cure for the disease and suffering can last several years. “Too many people with chronic urticaria give up hope when the symptoms don’t go away,” said Paul Greenberger, MD, of Northwestern University in Chicago. “But there is hope for controlling chronic urticaria with the aid of the allergist.”
During World Allergy Week 2017 experts will provide information to physicians and the general public about the importance of the role of the allergist in diagnosing and managing the disease. “There are multiple options available for treating chronic urticaria,” said Mario Sánchez Borges, MD, of Centro Médico Docente – La Trinidad, in Caracas, Venezuela, and President of the World Allergy Organization. “Allergists have the necessary expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic urticaria including knowledge about medication options. They also are able to teach patients about the condition, which is important in improving quality of life.”
Up to 1.8% of the population currently has chronic urticaria. More research on the global prevalence of the disease is needed. World Allergy Week 2017 organizers plan to draw attention to this and other future needs regarding chronic urticaria.
“The World Allergy Organization has 97 member societies around the world and many of them will participate along with us in World Allergy Week 2017,” said Dr Sánchez Borges. “They will hold workshops for physicians, patient education events and other activities that will help to increase awareness of the disease itself and share information about how to get relief from symptoms that can often seem unbearable.”
Recently, a highly effective biologic therapy (anti-IgE therapy) has become available for chronic urticaria. Experts will discuss the disease and approaches to patient care during a webinar to be held on April 4.
For more information about World Allergy Week 2017 and chronic urticaria, visit: http://www.worldallergyweek.org.
To find a member society of the World Allergy Organization in your country or region, visit: http://www.worldallergy.org/about-wao/member-societies.
________
References:
Greenberger PA. Chronic urticaria: new management options. World Allergy Organ J. 2014; 7:31
http://waojournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1939-4551-7-31
Kocatürk E, Maurer M, Metz M, Grattan C. Looking forward to new targeted treatments for chronic spontaneous urticaria. Clin Transl Allergy 2017, 7:1.
https://ctajournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13601-016-0139-2
Maurer M, Church MK, Goncalo M, Sussman G, Sanchez Borges M. Management and treatment of chronic urticaria. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2015; 29(Suppl3): 16-32.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jdv.13198/full
Maurer M, Rosén K, Hsieh HJ, Saini S, Grattan C et al. Omalizumab for the treatment of chronic idiopathic or spontaneous urticaria. N Engl J Med. 2013 Mar 7;368(10):924-35
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1215372
Sanchez Borges M, Asero R, Ansotegui IJ, Baiardini I, Bernstein JA et al. Diagnosis and treatment of urticaria and angioedema, a worldwide perspective. World Allergy Organ J. 2012; 5:125
http://waojournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1097/WOX.0b013e3182758d6c
Zuberbier T, Aberer W, Asero R, Bindslev-Jensen C, Brzoza Z et al. The EAACI/GA²LEN/EDF/WAO Guideline for the definition, classification, diagnosis and management of Urticaria. The 2013 revision and update. Allergy 2014:69; 868-887
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.12313/full
About the World Allergy Organization
The World Allergy Organization (WAO) is an international alliance of 97 regional and national allergy, asthma and immunology societies. Through collaboration with its Member Societies WAO provides a wide range of educational and outreach programs, symposia and lectureships to allergists/immunologists around the world and conducts initiatives related to clinical practice, service provision, and physical training in order to better understand and address the challenges facing allergists/immunologists worldwide. (http://www.worldallergy.org)
Media Contact:
Sofia Dorsano
Director of Administration, World Allergy Organization
sdorsano(at)worldallergy(dot)org
World Allergy Organization
555 E. Wells Street, Suite 1100
Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823 USA
Tel: +1 (414) 276-1791 Fax: +1 (414) 276-3349
Email: info(at)worldallergy(dot)org
Website: http://www.worldallergy.org
###
Sofia Dorsano, World Allergy Organization, http://www.worldallergy.org, +1 414-276-1791, [email protected]
Share this article