A 25-year-old woman develops extensive pruritic wheals following ingestion of seafood to which she was allergic. While these lesions are usually not biopsied, a biopsy would probably show which of the following features?
Correct Answer: Dilated superficial lymphatic channels
Description: Uicaria (hives) are pruritic wheals that form after mast cells degranulate and trigger localized dermal edema with dilated superficial lymphatic channels. The mast cell degranulation is sometimes, but not always, triggered by IgE-antigen interactions. Granular complement and IgG deposition at the dermal/epidermal junction is a characteristic of systemic lupus erythematosus. Microscopic blisters are a characteristic of dermatitis herpetiformis. Munro abscesses are a characteristic of psoriasis. Ref: Kaplan A.P. (2012). Chapter 38. Uicaria and Angioedema. In L.A. Goldsmith, S.I. Katz, B.A. Gilchrest, A.S. Paller, D.J. Leffell, N.A. Dallas (Eds), Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8e.
Category:
Skin
Get More
Subject Mock Tests
Practice with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects and improve your knowledge.
Attempt a mock test nowMock Exam
Take an exam with 100 random questions selected from all subjects to test your knowledge.
Coming SoonGet More
Subject Mock Tests
Try practicing mock tests with over 200,000 questions from various medical subjects.
Attempt a mock test now