Urticaria and Angioedema [Hardcover]

Malcolm W. Greaves (Editor), Allen Kaplan (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0824753151 | ISBN-13: 978-0824753153 | Edition: 1

Exploring current treatment options for skin conditions affecting more than 20% of the population, this reference examines every type of urticaria and angioedema, reviews the mechanisms common to all types of these disorders, and discusses the uses and limitations of existing and emerging treatment regimens for urticaria and angioedema, including alternative therapeutic approaches.

Editorial Reviews

From The New England Journal of Medicine

It would be unusual to find more than a single chapter devoted to urticaria and angioedema in most medical textbooks, including those devoted to allergies and to dermatology. So at first blush, I wondered how one could even consider developing a nearly 500-page book on the subject. Yet the two premier, internationally recognized leaders in the field who served as the editors of this book (and who also contributed a third of the chapters) have put together an unusual work that will be helpful reading for primary care physicians, allergists, and dermatologists. The book is a useful blend of bench and clinical science. Readers who are interested in the basic mechanisms of these conditions will find chapters dealing with the biology of mast cells and basophils, the IgE-dependent allergic response, and the complement and bradykinin mediator systems. Clinically, every relevant topic is discussed. Chapters outline various types of urticaria, including hereditary, pediatric, acute and chronic, and contact and papular disorders. I found the chapter on systemic conditions particularly interesting. Management is stressed, case presentations are included, and there are useful illustrations throughout the book. Effective treatment of acute and chronic urticaria can be a difficult problem. I commend the editors and authors for presenting "off label" treatments -- including H(sub 2)-receptor blockers, leukotriene-receptor antagonists, and immunomodulatory agents -- that are essential for the care of patients with difficult cases. The uses of combinations of several H(sub 1) antihistamines and of doses of these agents at levels that are higher than those approved by the Food and Drug Administration are also covered. One minor omission is the off-label use of omalizumab (the humanized monoclonal antibody to IgE) in patients with autoimmune chronic urticaria, which depends on autoantibodies to IgE or the high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc(sub E)R1). As in any textbook with multiple authors, there is some redundancy. Although this is a drawback, I find it a small one that is counteracted by the differences among authors regarding emphasis and perspective. This well-written, timely, comprehensive, and practical textbook will be a useful reference or clinical tool in the diagnosis and management of these common yet vexing disorders. Ronald A. Simon, M.D.
Copyright © 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved. The New England Journal of Medicine is a registered trademark of the MMS.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Informa Healthcare; 1 edition (April 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824753151
• ISBN-13: 978-0824753153
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,061,119 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars [...] Book Review, May 21, 2010

By 

E. Russo - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Urticaria and Angioedema (Hardcover)

This book is a must for health care providers caring for patients with urticaria and angioedema. The editors, Greaves and Kaplan, achieve their objective of providing clinicians with "a clear guide to the diagnosis and management of this often perplexing group of diseases." In addition, immunologists, cell biologists, and pharmacologists will find the chapters that attempt to unravel the complex biology underlying these diseases quite stimulating. The list of contributors includes several well-known experts in the field including Howard Maibach, Larry Millikan, and Nicholas Soter.



A relatively brief introductory chapter sets the stage with definitions and classifications of urticaria and angioedema. The next four chapters dive into the basic science of the critically important cells and chemical mediators that trigger urticaria and angioedema. Zhao and Schwartz should be commended on a well-organized and very detailed chapter exploring mast cells, basophils, histamine receptors, and mediators. In contrast, Chapter 4 provides a complicated overview of the entire complement system with only casual mention of its importance to the understanding of angioedema. The graphics for this section are, in general, good.



Chapter 6 begins the clinical section of the text providing a succinct overview of acute urticaria. Kim and Maibach decipher the intricacies of contact urticaria in what is probably the most definitive chapter ever written on the subject. Other chapters that would be especially useful to clinicians include: "Autoimmune chronic urticaria," "Chronic urticaria," "Principles of antihistamine management," "Agents other than antihistaminics," and "New thoughts regarding idiopathic angioedema." Overall there are sixteen chapters, over 300 pages, devoted to the diagnosis and management of the urticarial variants and angioedema. The intricate classifications and evidence-based work up and treatments are concisely presented in numerous tables throughout the text. Some overlap of clinical topics should have been edited.



Most of the 36 color plates are of good quality adding to the understanding of the concepts and are more useful than their black and white counterparts scattered throughout the text. Only one plate depicting eyelid angioedema should be discarded because of its poor quality.



In summary, Urticaria and Angioedema is a comprehensive up to date text devoted to the subject. It should be easily accessible in the offices of dermatologists, allergists and other clinicians who treat urticaria and angioedema. The many tables outlining etiologic factors, evaluation, and treatment of these diseases will become useful references. This text is definitely worth occupying precious shelf space.