Eray YILDIZ
Asthma Allergy Immunology - 2026;24(1):106-113
Objective: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a skin disease often seen after earthquakes. Sensitization to house dust mites is a frequently seen condition in CSU patients in clinical practice. This study aims to determine the frequency of house dust mites sensitization in CSU patients who underwent a skin prick test (SPT) with aeroallergens after earthquakes that occurred in Türkiye in 2023. Materials and Methods: The study included 408 CSU patients aged >=18 years who presented at our clinic between January 2022 and May 2025, and underwent SPT. The patients were separated into two groups according to the time of CSU onset: patients whose complaints began before the earthquake (n=233, 57%), and patients whose complaints began for the first time after the earthquake (n=175, 43%). Results: HDM sensitization was determined to be higher in the CSU patients diagnosed after the earthquake compared to those diagnosed before (45.7%, 29.1%, p<0.001). House dust mites sensitization was determined to be higher in the CSU patients living in temporary housing compared to those living at home (60.9%, 41.0%, p=0.025). The risk of developing CSU after the earthquake was increased approximately 2-fold by house dust mites sensitization and approximately 6-fold by living in temporary housing. Conclusion: This study suggests a significant association between house dust mites sensitization and CSU following an earthquake. Keywords: Chronic spontaneous urticaria, earthquake, house dust mites, skin prick test
