Clinical aspects of mast cell disorders in man and consideration of factitious urticaria

Abstract

Summary A classification of urticaria pigmentosa with special reference to the local appearances, general effects, distribution and age is described. The various types of factitious urticaria are mentioned. Because of the similar appearances of factitious urticaria in diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis and dermographism, it might be expected that there would be an increased number of mast cells in the skin in the latter condition. This, however, has not been demonstrated, but it is still possible that some functional abnormality of mast cells exists in dermographism.