SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2008

5/6/2008

C1 Inhibitor Concentrate is an Effective Treatment for Angioedema Episodes in Hereditary Angioedema

Summary
The authors conducted a study from 1976 through 2007. They evaluated a total of 2,104 skin angioedema episodes in 47 patients with hereditary angioedema that were treated with C1 inhibitor concentrate. They compared this with 9,046 untreated skin angioedema episodes.

The first sign of improvement was a decline in the progress of symptoms accompanied by a decreased feeling of tension and pain. The mean time to the first relief of symptoms was 1.1 +/- 1.4 hours in patients treated with C1 inhibitor concentrate. This compared to a mean time of improvement of 50.4 +/- 33 hours in untreated episodes. Facial swelling took longer to improve than areas of swelling in the extremities, genitalia, or trunk.

The authors concluded that the C1 inhibitor concentrate was an effective and safe way to treat angioedema episodes in hereditary angioedema.

Reference
Bork K, et al. Treatment of skin swellings with C1 inhibitor concentrate in patients with hereditary angioedema. Allergy 2008; 63(6):751-757.

 

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