XOLAIR for Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria
People suffering from chronic hives with no known cause, also called chronic idiopathic urticaria or CIU, may benefit from adding XOLAIR to their treatment plan. Appropriate for adults and children aged 12 or older with CIU, this can help patients with symptoms that aren’t managed by antihistamines.
If you suffer from chronic idiopathic urticaria, continue reading to learn more about XOLAIR and how it may benefit your CIU symptoms.
What Is Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria?
Urticaria is the medical term for hives, which is a skin condition resultIng in itchy welts that are red or white in color. Hives can occur in a range of sizes and may come and go at varying frequencies.
CIU refers to hives that last for six or more weeks and have no known cause. CIU is also the most prevalent kind of chronic hives and impacts 7 out of 10 people with chronic hives.
What Is XOLAIR?
It is a prescription treatment for people who have been diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria. It may be a helpful treatment option for patients who experience symptoms that aren’t managed by antihistamines. In fact, it is the sole treatment in the United States for approximately half of patients with CIU who experience symptoms despite taking H1-antihistamines.
It is given in the form of an injection under the skin. It must be administered by a doctor or nurse that’s trained and able to manage anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can occur after taking a dose of this. It’s a life-threatening condition that patients taking XOLAIR must be informed of.
How Does XOLAIR Work?
It may help patients with CIU by lessening the volume of hives as well as the severity of itchiness. To further explore how this may be effective in CUI treatment, let’s review the process of hive formation:
- Mast cells (cells located in tissues throughout the body and can release inflammatory chemicals) can play a role in hive formation. This occurs when IgE, a bodily substance, latches onto mast cell receptors.
- When IgE attaches to mast cell receptors, it causes the cells to release inflammatory chemicals like histamine.
- Histamine causes inflammation in the body and can cause itchy hives to form.
It can work to reduce hives and itchiness by binding IgE prior to its attachment to mast cells. It may also lessen the number of IgE receptors located on the surface of mast cells.
What Are the Benefits?
- XOLAIR only needs to be administered once per month by a medical professional.
- XOLAIR can help manage CIU symptoms that can’t be helped by antihistamines.
- Studies have shown XOLAIR to reduce the number of hives and the severity of hive itchiness in CIU patients with symptoms not eased by H1 antihistamine treatment.
If you suffer from chronic hives with no known cause, XOLAIR may help lessen symptoms not managed by antihistamines. Contact your doctor to see if XOLAIR may benefit your CIU treatment plan.