Serum amyloid A is an acute-phase protein and currently no data is available regarding serum amyloid A levels in acute (AU) and chronic urticaria (CU) patients.

The case-control study was done to investigate the correlation between serum amyloid A and urticaria. Eighty one patients who visited hospital between June and December 2016 with a diagnosis of urticaria were evaluated. Eighty healthy controls (HC) who had visited for routine health and physical checkups were also enroled. By automated methods, serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein levels were measured.

The results showed that serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein levels were considerably high in AU (Serum amyloid A: 207.1 mg/L; C-reactive protein: 16.0 mg/L) and CU (Serum amyloid A: 6.5 mg/L; C-reactive protein: 1.0 mg/L) compared with HC (Serum amyloid A: 5.04 mg/L; C-reactive protein: 1.2 mg/L), and in AU compared with CU (all P<0.05). There were no differences between the CU and HC group.

In CU, serum amyloid A levels in moderate/severe urticaria patients (16.4 mg/L) were higher than in patients with mild urticaria (5.7 mg/L) and HC (all P<0.05). Serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein levels surpassed the normal laboratory range in 90.7% and 72.1% patients with AU as compared with 28.9% and 13.2% patients with CU, respectively. Significant positive associations were seen between serum amyloid A and C-reactive protein (P < 0.001).

The study concluded that there was an association between serum amyloid A levels and urticaria. Higher serum amyloid A levels were linked with AU and severe CU. Serum amyloid A might help to detect CU patients earlier.

Source: Lu W, Chen B, Wang C, Yang X, Zhou C. Serum amyloid A levels in acute and chronic urticaria. An Bras Dermatol. 2019;94(4):411-415. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.1590/abd1806-4841.20197761