Chronic Urticaria Biomarkers IL-6, ESR and CRP in Correlation with Disease Severity and Patient Quality of Life—A Pilot Study
Matea Kuna, Mario Štefanović, Blaženka Ladika Davidović, Nikolina Mandušić, Ines Birkić Belanović, Liborija Lugović‐Mihić
Abstract
(1) Background: To assess the relationship between serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values and disease severity in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and to examine which of these serum biomarkers better indicates disease severity. (2) Methods: Our pilot study included 20 patients with CSU who filled out questionnaires concerning disease severity and quality of life (the Urticaria Activity Score summed over 7 days [UAS7], the once-daily Urticaria Activity Score [UAS], the Urticaria Control Test [UCT], and the Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI]). Blood samples were taken to measure IL-6, ESR and CRP. (3) Results: ESR significantly correlated with the UAS7 (linear and moderate correlation; r = 0.496; p = 0.026), while CRP did not correlate with disease severity. IL-6 correlated with the once-daily UAS (r = 0.472; p = 0.036) and DLQI (r = 0.504; p = 0.023) (linear and moderate correlation) but not the UAS7 or UCT. (4) Conclusions: IL-6 was a better indicator of the once-daily UAS and DLQI, while ESR was a better indicator of the UAS7 (there was no correlation between IL-6, CRP and ESR parameters). Although our results are promising, this study should be conducted with a larger number of CSU patients.