Psychosocial factors and chronic spontaneous urticaria: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial factors have been informally associated with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU); however, the relationship between psychosocial factors and CSU remains relatively unexplored in the scientific literature. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to provide an evaluation of peer reviewed studies exploring psychosocial factors and CSU. METHODS: A systematic search was performed over four databases identifying studies exploring psychosocial factors in relation to CSU published between the years 1995 and 2022. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included for narrative analysis, and 33 psychosocial factors were identified. These were split into two subgroups: psychosocial factors that were associated with CSU symptoms aggravation/onset (n = 20), and psychosocial factors expected to be impacted by CSU symptoms (n = 13). CONCLUSION: This review has highlighted a need for more research and interventions to support individuals with psychosocial factors involved in CSU. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-023-01284-2.