Endeavor Health named center of excellence for chronic hives research and treatment

System is one of only six nationwide and only in Illinois to receive designation

Evanston, Ill. – Endeavor Health has been designated as a Urticaria Center of Reference and Excellence (UCARE), making it the sixth site in the U.S. – and the only one in Illinois – to receive this distinction.

Urticaria, better known as hives, are red and itchy bumps on your skin. Acute episodes of hives affect up to 20% of people at some point in their lives. Chronic urticaria – hives lasting for six weeks or longer – can be a debilitating chronic condition. UCARE centers specialize in treating, researching and improving the global management of chronic urticaria.

“For many of our patients, chronic urticaria is a daily battle — relentless itching, disrupted sleep and the emotional toll of flare-ups that strike without warning,” said Giselle S. Mosnaim, M.D., M.S., Director of Allergy and Immunology Research and head of Endeavor Health’s UCARE center. “It's not just a skin condition; it's a constant source of distress that deeply affects quality of life."

Chronic urticaria is often debilitating and can be challenging to manage, both for patients and health care professionals. The condition affects up to 1% of the global population, often lasting between two to five years, and can relapse in a significant number of patients.

With its UCARE designation, Endeavor Health joins a network of more than 200 centers at prominent institutions across six continents aiming to combat this condition. These centers collaborate on research and compare anonymized data that could help clinicians better understand how incidences of urticaria vary across demographics and geography. UCARE is a project of the Global Asthma & Allergy Excellence Network.

“This new UCARE designation underscores the work our clinicians do every day to help patients overcome their symptoms,” she said. “It also links us to a network of partner institutions, all aligned in their mission to better understand and treat this condition.”

Mosnaim said Endeavor Health received UCARE designation due to its prominence in allergy and immunology, as well as dermatology, research and treatment. The nine-hospital system’s team of experts offer a variety of services to help patients manage this stressful and debilitating chronic condition.

In addition to chronic urticaria, Endeavor Health specializes in both common and complex allergy and immunology disorders such as hay fever, eczema, food allergies, and asthma as well as immune deficiencies, drug allergies, angioedema (swelling), anaphylaxis and others.