Estudio descriptivo de urticaria vasculítica en Medellín, Colombia: características clínicas, epidemiológicas y de laboratorio

Objective: To study the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with urticarial vasculitis of patients treated at the Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Clinica Universitaria Bolivariana, and IPS Universitaria in the period between 2006 and 2012.  Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out at the Hospital Pablo Tobon Uribe, Clinica Universitaria Bolivariana, IPS universitaria in Medellin and prospectively evaluated patients were also included.Results: Twenty four patients entered the study, 20 women (83.3%), and the average age of onset of lesions was 41.8 years. A normal C3 value was found in 79% and 70.8% had normal C4 values. Symptoms associated with hives were investigated and pain was found in 20.8%, burning in 29.2%, and 50% were asymptomatic. Arthralgia, rhinitis, arthritis and atopic dermatitis were found more frequently in patients evaluated. Dapsone, colchicine, steroids, and antihistamines were among the most widely used treatments.Conclusions: This study presents data demographic, clinical and laboratory findings of patients with urticarial vasculitis in our environment, allowing us to compare our results with other series worldwide.