A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study of Chronic Urticaria in Chinese Adults with Cardiometabolic Diseases: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Effect on Disease Management.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the epidemiology and risk factors for chronic urticaria (CU) in Chinese adults with cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs), and its effect on CMD recognition and management.

Methods: We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2018-2019 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance, which included 118,036 adults with CMDs. Weighted CU prevalence and CMD awareness, treatment, and control rates (stratified by CU status) were estimated using a complex survey design, whereas risk factors for CU were identified using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: The weighted CU prevalence among patients with CMDs was 2.90%, peaking at 3.94% in 60-69-year-old individuals, and was higher in females (3.41%) than in males (2.56%), especially in rural areas. Key risk factors included current smoking (odds ratio [ OR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.06-1.29) and abnormal sleep duration (< 5 h: OR 1.79, 95% CI: 1.61-1.99; > 10 h: OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.19-1.61). Patients with CU showed stronger association with improved CMD awareness (hypertension: 50.71% vs. 40.27%; diabetes: 47.14% vs. 36.21%; dyslipidemia: 30.71% vs. 17.12%) and treatment rates (hypertension: 41.37% vs. 34.22%; diabetes: 41.31% vs. 32.52%; dyslipidemia: 18.29% vs. 9.94%) than non-CU patients but with comparable control rates.

Conclusion: CU is prevalent in patients with CMD and associated with distinct demographic and lifestyle risk factors. Although CU facilitates earlier detection of CMD, it does not improve disease control, indicating the need for integrated dermatology-cardiometabolic care.