‘The Agony of Hives’: WAO to offer complementary live webinar on chronic urticaria

“The Agony of Hives” Is the Focus of World Allergy Week 2017

World Allergy Organization (WAO) will offer a complementary live webinar, “The Agony of Hives”, on April 4, beginning at 13:30:00 Greenwich Mean Time, for World Allergy Week 2017, which will begin on April 2. The faculty will discuss what is known about chronic urticaria and options for managing what can be unbearable symptoms.

Chronic urticaria, which currently affects up to 1.8% of the population, can cause prolonged suffering from welts and swelling if not accurately diagnosed and effectively treated. The episodic or daily hives of chronic urticaria last for at least six weeks and significantly impair quality of life including difficulty falling and staying asleep. There is no cure for the disease but it can be managed with medication options and avoidance of triggers.

“The role of the allergist is key,” said Mario Sánchez Borges, MD, of Centro Médico Docente – La Trinidad, in Caracas, Venezuela, and WAO President. “Allergists have the necessary expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic urticaria including knowledge about medication options. They also are able to teach patients about the condition, which is important in improving quality of life.”

The webinar faculty will be Marcus Maurer, MD, of Charité – Universitätsmedizin in Berlin, Germany; Elham Hossny, MD, PhD, of Children’s Hospital of Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt; Mario Sánchez Borges, MD, of Centro Médico Docente – La Trinidad in Caracas, Venezuela; and Paul Greenberger, MD, of Northwestern University in Chicago, United States. Dr Greenberger will also moderate the program. The experts will include a discussion of treatment options including a biologic therapeutic (anti-IgE therapy) that has been shown to be effective.

Many allergy and clinical immunology societies around the world that are member organizations of WAO will also provide local educational opportunities throughout the week of April 2-8, 2017. These events will follow a common theme, “The Agony of Hives – What to do when welts and swelling will not go away,” helping to increase awareness of chronic urticaria globally and bring hope to millions who suffer from the disease. To find a member society of the World Allergy Organization in your country or region, visit: http://www.worldallergy.org/about-wao/member-societies.

The webinar is intended for a general audience.