Angioedema caused by C1 inhibitor deficiency is a rare disorder that may be either hereditary or acquired, the latter being mainly associated with lymphoproliferative disorders. A 51-year-old woman who had suffered from episodes of acute peripheral edema since she was 12 was diagnosed with hereditary angioedema at the age of 40 and remained stable with stanozolol. Due to a worsening of her symp...

The prevalence of non-hereditary angioedema was investigated in a general population sample (n = 7,931) and in a sample of Danish patients (n = 7,433) tested for deficiency of functional complement C(1) esterase inhibitor protein (functional C(1) INH). The general population sample (44% response rate) reported a lifetime prevalence of 7.4% for angioedema. In both groups symptoms were most frequ...

BACKGROUND Angioedema without major urticarial flares (hives) is poorly understood. Its causes are diverse, and little is known about its pathogenic mechanisms. We report on our 11 years of experience with this condition and propose a classification of patients affected by angioedema unaccompanied by urticaria. METHODS From 1993 through 2003 at our outpatient clinic, 929 consecutive patients ...

Drug hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs) are the adverse effects of drugs which, when taken at doses generally tolerated by normal subjects, clinically resemble allergy. Immediate-reaction of drug HSRs are those that occur less than 1 hour after the last drug intake, usually in the form of urticaria, angioedema, rhinitis, conjunctivitis, bronchospasm, and anaphylaxis or anaphylactic shock. Acute ...

Abdominal angioedema is a less recognized type of angioedema, which can occur in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE). The clinical signs may range from subtle, diffuse abdominal pain and nausea, to overt peritonitis. We describe two cases of abdominal angioedema in patients with known HAE that were diagnosed in the emergency department by point-of-care (POC) ultrasound. In each case, the ...

Hereditary angioedema is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by the edema of subcutaneous tissues, respiratory tract and bowel. It is caused by the deficiency of C1 esterase inhibitor. Hereditary angioedema may be associated with autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune thyroiditis and glomerulonephritis. We report a 34-year-old mal...

Hereditary angioedema, although uncommon, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with facial edema. In this article, we present a case of hereditary angioedema and discuss the presentation, diagnosis, and management of the disease.

We report what we think is the first case of localised angioedema of the glans penis as a result of contact allergy to prilocaine in EMLAP cream. We also propose a new term, contact angioedema for this condition.

Hereditary and acquired angioedema are potentially life-threatening diseases characterized by spontaneous episodes of subcutaneous and submucosal swelling of face, lips, oral cavity, larynx, and GI tract. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) usually presents within the first and second decades of life, whereas acquired angioedema presents in adults after 40 years of age. These clinical symptoms together...

Hereditary angioedema is a serious medical condition caused by a deficiency of C1-inhibitor. The condition is the result of a defect in the gene controlling the synthesis of C1-inhibitor, which regulates the activity of a number of plasma cascade systems. Although the prevalence of hereditary angioedema is low - between 1:10,000 to 1:50,000 - the condition can result in considerable pain, debil...