Abstract Urticaria is a distinctive pattern of inflammatory re sponse of the skin and/or mucous membranes charac terized by the sudden appearance of vanishing wheals, angioedema, or both, associated with pruritus. Acute forms are frequent and limited to outbreaks of less than 6 weeks; while the chronic ones have a prevalence of less than 1%, longer duration and can be spontaneous or inducible. The etiopathogenic mechanisms involved in this disease include autoallergy, autoimmunity, and inflam mation with cell activation, mainly of the mast cell, leading to its degranulation with the release of vasoac tive mediators. Along its approach, diagnostic confirmation, search for indicators of its etiopathogenesis, detection of cofactors that can modulate its activity, recognition of comorbidi ties, evaluation of possible biomarkers and the assess ment of disease activity, impact and control are essential. The pharmacological management aims to control the symptoms, until the urticaria, which is self-resolv ing, is gone. This is described in a stepwise fashion with increasing complexity.

Resumen La urticaria es un patrón distintivo de respuesta inflamatoria de piel y/o mucosas caracterizada por la aparición súbita de ronchas evanescentes, angioedema o ambos, asociados a prurito. Las formas agudas son frecuentes y se limitan a brotes de menos de 6 sema nas; mientras que las crónicas tienen una prevalencia menor al 1%, mayor duración y pueden ser espontáneas o inducibles. Los mecanismos etiopatogénicos involucrados en esta enfermedad incluyen la autoalergia, la autoinmunidad y la inflamación con la activación celular, principalmente del mastocito, lo que lleva a su degranulación con libe ración de mediadores vasoactivos. En su abordaje son fundamentales la confirmación diagnóstica; la búsqueda de indicadores de su etiopa togenia; la detección de cofactores que pueden modular su actividad; el reconocimiento de comorbilidades; la evaluación de posibles biomarcadores y, el impacto en la calidad de vida, el registro de la actividad y el control de la enfermedad. El manejo farmacológico tiene por objetivo controlar los síntomas, mientras la urticaria resuelve de forma espontánea. Este se describe de forma escalonada con una complejidad creciente.

Abstract Background: Asthma is a chronic disease with a great impact on public health and on the patients’ quality of life. In Latin America, there are scarce epidemiological studies. Objective: To describe the prevalence of asthma and the clinical-demographic characteristics in an adult population from a private health system in the City of Buenos Aires. Methods: A cross-sectional study of adults who were enrolled in the medical program of a private health system in Buenos Aires between January 1st, 2017, and January 1st, 2018. All the patients that were included in the study had been diagnosed with asthma. Results: The prevalence of asthma in the adult patients of a prepaid health system in the City of Buenos Aires was of 6 % (n = 66, IC 95 % = 5-7), and the prevalence of severe asthma among the same group was of 5 % (n = 3, IC 95 % = 1-13). Most patients had intermittent and mild asthma. Conclusion: This study provides new data about the epidemiology of asthma in the region.

Resumen Antecedentes: El asma es una enfermedad crónica de gran impacto en la salud pública y en la calidad de vida de los pacientes. En Latinoamérica existen escasos estudios epidemiológicos Objetivo: Describir la prevalencia del asma y las características clínico-demográficas en una población adulta de un sistema de salud privado de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Métodos: Estudio de corte transversal de adultos afiliados al programa médico de un sistema de salud privado de Buenos Aires, entre el 1 de enero de 2017 y 1 de enero de 2018, con diagnóstico médico de asma. Resultados: La prevalencia de asma en pacientes adultos de un sistema de salud prepago en la ciudad de Buenos Aires fue de 6 % (n = 66, IC 95 % = 5-7) y de asma grave de 5 % (n = 3 IC 95 % = 1-13) La mayoría de los pacientes presentaron asma intermitente y leve. Conclusión: El estudio aporta nuevos datos sobre la epidemiología del asma en la región.

Abstract: Background: In spite of the frequency of chronic urticaria, there are no epidemiological studies on its prevalence in Argentina. Objective: The objective of this study was to define the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of chronic urticaria patients in Buenos Aires. Methods: The population studied were the members of the Italian Hospital Medical Care Program, a prepaid health maintenance organization located in the urban areas around the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. All patients with diagnosis of chronic urticaria members of the Italian Hospital Medical Care Program, and with at least 12 months of follow up were included in the study. All medical records obtained between January 1st, 2012 and December 31, 2014 were analyzed. The prevalence ratio for chronic urticaria per 100,000 population with 95% CI for December 31, 2014 was calculated. The prevalence rate for the entire population and then discriminated for adults and pediatric patients (less than 18 years old at diagnosis) was assessed. Results: 158,926 members were analyzed. A total of 463 cases of chronic urticaria were identified on prevalence date (68 in pediatrics, 395 in adults), yielding a crude point prevalence ratio of 0.29% (CI 95% 0.26-0.31%). The observed prevalence of chronic urticaria in the adult population was 0.34 % (95% CI 0.31-0.38%), while in pediatrics it was 0.15 % (95% CI 0.11-0.20%). Study limitations: the main weakness is that the results were obtained from an HMO and therefore the possibility of selection bias. Conclusions: chronic urticaria is a global condition. Its prevalence in Buenos Aires is comparable with other countries.