Abstract
The serum histamine and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels were measured in 12 cases of physical urticaria, including patients with mechanical urticaria (n=8), cold urticaria (n=3), and solar urticaria (n=1), both before and after performing a provocation tests for each case. The same measurements with the same provocation tests were also performed two weeks after the administration of oxatomide. Both parameters showed significant differences before and after the provocation tests i. e., 0.961±0.949→2.06±2.22, p<0.005 (histamine), 15.6±9.81→26.1±21.2, p<0.01 (ECP) (Wilcoxon test, (histamine) ECP)). However, these significant differences disappeared two weeks after the administration. Eosinophils may thus play a greater role in the early stage of wheal formation in physical urticaria than had been previously thought.
