Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the course of refractory chronic spontaneous urticaria under omalizumab treatment

The course of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) can be influenced by infections, depression, and stress. Our aim was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the course of refractory CSU together with patient adherence to omalizumab and treatment adjustments. Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7) was used to assess disease activity. Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FC-19s), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21s) were performed to assess mental health status. All scales were performed during the Quarantine Period (QP) and Return to the Normal Period (RTNP). UAS7 Before Pandemic (BP) was recorded from the patients medical records. The authors evaluated 104 omalizumab-receiving CSU patients. UAS7 scores during QP were significantly higher than those in RTNP and BP (p