Background and aims: Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and diabetes mellitus type 1 (T1DM) may compromise the quality of life (QoL). We decided to compare the QoL of T1DM patients to those suffering from CSU. Materials and methods: Sixty-six patients with well-controlled T1DM (male 52%) in the mean age of (SD) 36.3 (11.09) years and 51 patients with CSU (male 33%) in the mean age of (SD) 35.8 (8.53) years were enrolled in this observational study. All the participants completed a Short-Form 36 (SF-36) QoL. Results: The QoL related to social functioning was significantly worse among CSU patients. There were differences related to gender found in the group of patients with T1DM—where men tended to declare a better quality of life than women (p = 0.015)—especially in the area of energy/fatigue and pain. It appeared that due to physical and emotional problems occurring in married patients, the QoL is lower in T1DM group in comparison to the CSU one. Conclusions: The patients with CSU presented significantly worse social functioning compared to the ones with T1DM. This fact proves the QoL impairment level is not always related to the level of health danger. The differences in the QoL related to gender and marital status found among T1DM patients point to the necessity for further exploration in a larger group of patients. Due to the fact that optimal disease management should ensure patient’s good emotional well-being, there is a need for additional psychological and social care for patients from those two groups.

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Life-threatening anaphylaxis is a systemic hypersensitivity reaction that may be allergic or non-allergic. Kounis syndrome is an acute coronary syndrome caused by an allergic reaction. Food, environmental factors, drugs, radiological contrast agents and some disease states are among the etiological factors that trigger an allergic reaction. Kounis syndrome is a relatively rarely recognized cause of myocardial infarction, which is most likely due to its underdiagnosis. The presented case concerns a patient with a history of ischemic heart disease after coronary angioplasty. Until the insect stings, the course of the angina was stable. The course of the allergic reaction was turbulent and met the criteria for anaphylactic shock. Subsequently, the patient developed unstable angina. The clinical picture and additional tests allowed to diagnose a myocardial infarction in the patient. The coincidence of myocardial infarction with a history of an insect sting allows for the recognition of an allergic reaction as a trigger for acute coronary syndrome. The described case highlights the need for a multidisciplinary approach to the patient and regular supervision during the use of specific immunotherapy in the course of allergy to Hymenoptera venom, as well as the inclusion of Kounis syndrome in the differential diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes.

Angioedema is a localized and self-limiting oedema of the subcutaneous and submucosal tissue. Case presentation: 73-year-old man was admitted to the Division of Allergology with the diagnosis of angioedema. Detailed physical examination led to the suspicion of superior vena cava syndrome with secondary face swelling. Biopsy revealed metastasis of small cell carcinoma in superclavicular lymph nodes. Conclusions: Facial swelling, especially recurrent and non-inflammatory, is often, but not always caused by angioedema. Insightful differential diagnosis is crucial before making the final one.