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Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a common skin disease, but there is a paucity of precise epidemiological data on this disease.

To obtain information on the epidemiology of CSU in Italy.

The data source was the Health Search IMS Health Longitudinal Patient Database. The study population was formed by patients aged ≥ 15 years, registered with a total of 700 general practitioners, homogeneously distributed across Italy. An algorithm based on the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, Clinical Modification was used for the identification of patients with CSU. The annual prevalence and incidence rates of CSU over a 12‐year period (2002–2013) were estimated, along with demographic and clinical determinants.

The annual prevalence of CSU ranged from 0·02% in 2002 …