Grading the Response in Dermographic Urticaria

Abstract

An instrument named Dermographism-Testing-and-Grading device was used for grading the response of patients having demographic urticaria, in comparison with controls. This device is capable of stroking the skin with, four different grades of pressure. The pressures used were such that none of the 250 controls (including.50 normal suliects, 100 patients having non-allergic skin diseases, 50 patients having non-urticarial allergic diseases and 50 patients having non-demographic urticaria), showed demographist with even the maximum pressure employed, while all the 25 patient, having demographic urticaria developed dermographism. Depending upon the minimum pressure re4uired, to elicit dermographism in these patients the severity of dermoloaphism could be graded as grade I in 8 patients, grade.11 in 6 and grade IV in 11 patients. None of the patients in " group showed grade III dermograph.ism. The dermographic grade varied at different body sites and local applications of oil, talcum powder and even tap water lowered the dermographic grade.