Cholinergic urticaria or also known as (CholU) and CU, is a rare form of hives (urticaria) that is triggered by an elevation in body temperature, breaking a sweat, or exposure to heat. It is also sometimes called exercise-induced urticaria or heat hives. The condition is considered to be one of the many rarest forms of allergies known to medical science.

Symptoms

Cholinergic urticaria typically presents with a number of small papular hives all over the body, that involve cutaneous inflammation (wheals) and severe nerve pain, which usually develops in response to exercise, bathing, staying in a heated environment, spicy foods, or emotional stress. The symptoms subside and manifest rapidly on and off throughout the day with no notice. Cholinergic urticaria may significantly impair quality of life, especially in relation to normal day to day activities. It is caused by an overreaction of the immune system to the release of histamine, mast cells, and other chemicals in response to the small nerve fibers throughout the body due to the increase in body temperature being allergic to sweat.

Causes

Subtypes

Sweat hypersensitivity

This subtype of CU refers to those who are hypersensitive to their own sweat.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by injecting autologous (the person's own) sweat into the skin.

Features

The hives are observed to coincide with perspiration points of sweating.

Pathophysiology

Tanaka et al. found that the sweat hyper-sensitivities of CU and atopic dermatitis seem to be virtually the same, and therefore, the sweat-induced histamine release from basophils may also be mediated by a specific IgE for sweat in atopic dermatitis as well as CU.

Treatment

Acquired anhidrosis and/or hypohidrosis

This subtype of CU refers to those who have abnormally reduced sweating. Forced perspiration by excessive body warming (hot bath or exercise) used daily may reduce the symptoms through exhaustion of inflammatory mediators.

Diagnosis

Sweat is readily visualized by a topical indicator such as iodinated starch or sodium alizarin sulphonate. Both undergo a dramatic colour change when moistened by sweat. A thermoregulatory sweat test evaluates the body's response to a thermal stimulus by inducing sweating through the use of a hot box ⁄ room, thermal blanket or exercise. Failure of the topical indicator to undergo a colour change during thermoregulatory sweat testing can indicate anhidrosis and/or hypohidrosis (see Minor test). A skin biopsy may reveal cellular infiltrates in sweat glands or ducts.

Features

Severe heat intolerance (e.g., nausea, dizziness, and headache), and tingling, pricking, pinchy or burning pain over the entire body on exposure to hot environments or prolonged exercise which improve after cooling the body. Occurs in the absence of any causative skin, metabolic, or neurological disorders.

Pathophysiology

The wheals, hypohidrosis, and pain seems to result from the low expression levels of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) and cholinergic receptor, muscarinic 3 (CHRM3) in the eccrine gland epithelial cells. Elevated expression levels of CCL2/MCP-1, CCL5/RANTES and CCL17/TARC which result in chemoattracted CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations to the surrounding area may be responsible for exerting a downmodulatory effect on the AchE and CHRM3 expressions. Corticosteroid inhibits the expressions of CCL2/MCP-1, CCL5/RANTES and CCL17/TARC. This further support the notion that CCL2/MCP-1, CCL5/RANTES and CCL17/TARC play a crucial role.

Treatment

Idiopathic

Unknown or unclassified at this time. This represents those who do not fall under any of the above categories.

Prevalence

Though overall research is limited, various studies indicate that CU is relatively common across populations with prevalence rates reportedly ranging from 5% to 20% (depending on locale, race, and age). The condition is more common in young adults, and prevalence appears to peak in adults aged 26–28 (up to 20%). The vast majority of cases are reported to be mild, and proportionally few individuals seek medical attention regarding the condition.

History

Cholinergic urticaria was first described by Duke in 1924 as "urticaria calorica". The term cholinergic is derived from the finding that hives similar to those of CU can be evoked using cholinergic agonists (e.g. methacholine).