This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (57)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

R. K. WINKELMANN, MD; C. M. WILHELMJ, MD; F. A. HORNER, MD

Arch Dermatol. 1965;92(4):436-442.

Abstract
Dermographism can be produced by modest pressure in the skin of normal persons following the application of tetrahydrofurfuryl nicotinate ointment. This local vascular response to pressure lasts up to 96 hours. It does not follow ultraviolet radiation or other chemically induced erythema. Aspirin will prevent the occurrence of dermographism by blocking tetrahydrofurfuryl nicotinate erythema, but aspirin given after induction of the erythema will not prevent dermographism. This dermographism is not prevented by procaine, atropine, cortisone, diphenhydramine, or 48:80. Histamine is not found in dermal perfusates of the dermographic site. Kinin activity is found in such dermal perfusates but not when the site is occluded by a blood pressure cuff, suggesting that this activity comes from the blood. Perfusion of seven patients who had severe clinical dermographism gave similar results.

This study suggests that dermographism, and possibly other forms of physical urticaria, is based on a direct effect of the physical agent on blood vessels and this may be potentiated by chemical agents such as nicotinic acid esters and histamine.

Author Affiliations
ROCHESTER, MINN

From the Section of Dermatology and the Laboratory for Clinical Investigation in Skin Disease, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation. Dr. Wilhelmj, whose present address is Creighton University Medical School, was a fellow in dermatology in the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine (University of Minnesota), Rochester, as Dr. Horner is now.

Footnotes
Submitted for publication May 17, 1965; accepted July 8.

Read before the meeting of the American Dermatological Association, Boca Raton, Fla, Feb 25 to March 2, 1965.

Reprint requests to Section of Publications, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn 55902.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Delayed Pressure Urticaria Histologically Resembles Cutaneous Late-Phase Reactions
Mekori et al.
Arch Dermatol 1988;124:230-235.
ABSTRACT  

Urticaria: An Updated Review
Monroe and Jones
Arch Dermatol 1977;113:80-90.
ABSTRACT  

Localized Heat Urticaria
de Moragas et al.
Arch Dermatol 1973;108:684-686.
ABSTRACT  

Urticaria Pigmentosa and Factitious Urticaria: Direct Evidence for Release of Histamine and Other Smooth Muscle-contracting Agents in Dermographic Skin
Greaves and Sondergaard
Arch Dermatol 1970;101:418-425.
ABSTRACT  

Solar Urticaria: Investigation of Pathogenetic Mechanisms
Sams et al.
Arch Dermatol 1969;99:390-397.
ABSTRACT  

Benzoyl Peroxide--Sulfur Lotions: A Histological Study
Vasarinsh
Arch Dermatol 1968;98:183-187.
ABSTRACT  

Kinins in Cold Urticaria
DeLaus and Winkelmann
Arch Dermatol 1968;98:67-74.
ABSTRACT  

Ultraviolet Light-Induced Kinin Formation in Human Skin
Epstein and Winkelmann
Arch Dermatol 1967;95:532-536.
ABSTRACT  

Localized "Secondary" Cold Urticaria
SOLOMON et al.
Arch Dermatol 1966;94:156-160.
ABSTRACT