Is there a difference between women and men in chronic spontaneous urticaria? A systematic review on gender and sex differences in CSU patients

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a notable surge in interest in gender medicine, with a growing focus on exploring gender and sex differences in skin diseases.

Although it is noticeable in clinical practice that more women than men present with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in the outpatient setting, there is currently no systematic review available which addresses gender differences in CSU. PubMed Medline, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched until July 2023. English and German randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohorts, and case-control studies that examined gender and sex differences in CSU were included. Two authors independently screened the reports for eligibility. One extracted all data, the second double-checked and critically appraised the quality and risk of bias of the studies. Twenty-six reports were included. The article reviewed differences in epidemiology, diagnostics, clinical characteristics, treatment, and quality of life in female and male patients. The findings provide limited data for the substantial impact of gender and sex in CSU patients and reveal major gaps in gender-specific care in dermatology which should be narrowed in the upcoming years to optimize patient-centered, individualized, gender-equal healthcare.

PROSPERO registration

CRD42023442958.