Relationship between quality of life and anxiety aspects in chronic spontaneous urticaria

Introduction
Clinical experience indicates the role of the psychological component in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU). The CSU can lead to psychological disturbances. This phenomenon results in a possible quality of life impairment among CSU patients.

Aim
To analyse in detail the quality of life parameters and anxiety aspects in relation to CSU duration and symptom intensity.

Material and methods
The patient sample was composed of 67 CSU subjects. For the quality of life and mental status assessment, all subjects were questionnaired with CU-Q2oL and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). In the control group, 42 healthy volunteers were enrolled to fill in the STAI questionnaire. The Urticaria Activity Score (UAS) was used to assess disease activity.

Results
We observed greater intensity of anxiety as a state and as a trait in CSU patients and greater intensity of anxiety as a state due to increasing patients’ age. The CU-Q2oL Itching subscale was significantly impaired as a result of the intensity of the UAS scale. The Swelling/Mental status subscale was related to anxiety as a state and as a trait. Additionally, we noticed a greater quality of life impairment in subjects with longer disease duration.

Conclusions
Our results prove that CSU results in a significant quality of life impairment. This phenomenon particularly concerns patients with longer disease duration time. As anxiety is a relatively frequent disturbance and negatively influences quality of life, we should identify these patients and monitor this parameter especially in older patients.