Contact urticaria syndrome: How it is clinically manifested and how to diagnose it

© 2015 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Contact urticaria syndrome (CUS), contact urticaria (CoU), and protein contact dermatitis (PCD) are conditions characterized by the immediate development of a contact skin reaction showing clinically different patterns of inflammation (e.g., erythema, wheals, eczema). These entities are described independently. The main manifestation of CoU is a wheal, angioedema, or both. Eczema can be the sole manifestation of PCD. Pruritus is almost always present as it is the hallmark symptom. But urticaria and eczema can many times be induced by the same trigger being present simultaneously or consecutively.[1] Our clinical experience suggest that CoU and PCD can be suffered simultaneously by the same patient induced by the same trigger. CoU and PCD encompass CUS.