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Impact of allergic reactions and urticaria on mental health and quality of life
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  • Pia-Charlotte Stadler,
  • Enklajd Marsela,
  • Till Kämmerer,
  • Leonie Frommherz,
  • Benjamin Clanner-Engelshofen,
  • Lars French,
  • Eva Oppel,
  • Markus Reinholz
Pia-Charlotte Stadler
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Enklajd Marsela
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Till Kämmerer
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Leonie Frommherz
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Benjamin Clanner-Engelshofen
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Lars French
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Eva Oppel
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology
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Markus Reinholz
University Hospital Munich Department of Dermatology and Allergology

Corresponding Author:markus.reinholz@med.uni-muenchen.de

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Abstract

Background Allergic diseases represent a major global health issue with more than one third of the global population affected with at least one allergic condition. Allergic conditions can not only cause life threatening anaphylactic reactions but also impact on daily life with significant influence on mental health and quality of life (QoL) Objectives This study aims to evaluate the health related QoL and depression severity among patients presenting in a tertiary care allergy center. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 628 patients presenting with allergic symptoms or previously diagnosed allergies between October 2018 and April 2019 and screened for depression and QoL impairment. Results 73.3% (n=437/596) of the patients suffered from at least one previously diagnosed allergic disease, most frequently to pollen (36.2%, n=220/607) or food (26.7%, n=162/607), and 19.6 % (n=119/607) suffered from urticaria. 16.6% of the total study population suffered from depression. Urticaria as well as insect venom, food/food additive allergies and drug allergies significantly affected the quality of life and depression severity (p<.001), reflected by higher DLQI and BDI scores and lower scores in the EQ5D-3L index. Conclusion Our results provide evidence for a possible association of allergies (e.g. against insect venom, food/food additives and drugs) and/or urticaria with a reduced life quality and a higher depression rate. Patients particularly indicated restrictions in the dimensions pain/discomfort as well as anxiety/depression. A standardized questionnaire for evaluating the mental health status of patients with allergies and/or urticaria might be beneficial to be implemented as a regular screening method.