Fatigue is Common and Predicted by Female Gender and Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria

Chronic spontaneous urticaria is a chronic disease characterized by wheals and pruritus and/or angioedema. Most urticaria patients are women who have their quality of life reduced due to the impact of the disease on daily life and sleep quality. Fatigue is a common symptom in urticaria. This study’s objective was to assess fatigue and how it affects people with chronic spontaneous urticaria compared to healthy people.

This study included 103 patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria and 35 age and gender-matched healthy controls. They were assessed for fatigue with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and VAS-Fatigue. Duration, activity, and control of disease, as well as anxiety, depression, and quality of life, were also evaluated.

No significant associations were seen in disease activity, disease control scores, FSS, positivity for anti-nuclear antibodies, and IgE levels between fatigued and non-fatigued patients with urticaria. Fatigued patients had significantly higher CRP levels (p=0,009). Also of note was the significant correlation between total FSS score and chronic urticaria quality of life in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria, where women with urticaria and with disturbed sleep complained of fatigue.

Women with chronic spontaneous urticaria commonly experience fatigue, which is an important symptom that negatively affects their quality of life.