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BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by local, self-limiting edema due to temporary increase in vascular permeability. HAE with normal C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH) activity includes the form with mutations in the F12 gene encoding for coagulation factor XII (FXII-HAE) causing an overproduction of bradykinin (BK) leading to angioedema attack. BK binding to B2 receptors (BK2R) leads to an activation of phospholipase C (PLC) and subsequent generation of second messengers: diacylglycerols (DAGs) and possibly the endocannabinoids (eCBs), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA), and eCB-related N-acylethanolamines [palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA)]. To date, there are no data on the role of these lipid mediators in FXII-HAE. METHODS: Here, we analyzed plasma levels of PLC, DAGs, and eCBs in 40 patients with FXII-HAE and 40 sex- and age-matched healthy individuals. RESULTS: Plasma PLC activity was increased in FXII-HAE patients compared to controls. Concentrations of DAG 18:1-20:4, a lipid second messenger produced by PLC, were higher in FXII-HAE compared to controls, and positively correlated with PLC activity and cleaved high molecular kininogen (cHK). Also the concentrations of the DAG metabolite, 2-AG were altered in FXII-HAE. AEA and OEA were decreased in FXII-HAE patients compared to controls; by contrast, PEA, was increased. The levels of all tested mediators did not differ between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Moreover, C1INH-HAE patients had elevated plasma levels of PLC, which correlated with cHK, but the levels of DAGs and eCBs were the same as controls. CONCLUSIONS: BK overproduction and BKR2 activation are linked to alteration of PLCs and their metabolites in patients with FXII-HAE. Our results may pave way to investigations on the functions of these mediators in the pathophysiology of FXII-HAE, and provide new potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
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Patch testing is the only clinically applicable diagnostic method for Type IV allergy. The availability of Type IV patch test (PT) allergens in Europe, however, is currently scarce. This severely compromises adequate diagnostics of contact allergy, leading to serious consequences for the affected patients. Against this background, the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) has created a task force (TF) (i) to explore the current availability of PT substances in different member states, (ii) to highlight some of the unique characteristics of Type IV vs. other allergens and (iii) to suggest ways forward to promote and ensure availability of high-quality patch testing substances for the diagnosis of Type IV allergies throughout Europe. The suggestions of the TF on how to improve the availability of PT allergens are supported by the ESCD, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and intend to provide potential means to resolve the present medical crisis.
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Alérgenos , Dermatite Alérgica de Contato , Dermatite Ocupacional , Testes do Emplastro , Humanos , Testes do Emplastro/métodos , Europa (Continente) , Dermatite Alérgica de Contato/diagnóstico , Dermatite Alérgica de Contato/etiologia , Alérgenos/efeitos adversos , Dermatite Ocupacional/diagnóstico , Dermatite Ocupacional/etiologia , Sociedades Médicas , Comitês ConsultivosRESUMO
Neurologic manifestations have been occasionally described in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema. The existing literature is currently limited to case series and case reports mainly described in the hereditary forms (HAE) concerning central nervous system (CNS) involvement. On the contrary, very little is known about peripheral and autonomic nervous system manifestations. CNS involvement in HAE may present with symptoms including severe headaches, visual disturbance, seizures, and various focal and generalized deficits. In addition, a stroke-like clinical picture may present in HAE patients. In turn, some drugs used in patients with cardiovascular and neurologic disorders, such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), may produce medication-induced angioedema, resulting in a diagnostic challenge. Finally, most patients with HAE have higher levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. With this review, we aimed to provide an organized and detailed analysis of the existing literature on neurologic and psychiatric manifestations of HAE to shed light on these potentially invalidating symptoms and lay the foundation for further personalized diagnostic pathways for patients affected by this protean disease.
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Angioedema , Angioedemas Hereditários , Humanos , Angioedemas Hereditários/diagnóstico , Bradicinina/metabolismo , Ativador de Plasminogênio Tecidual , Angioedema/etiologia , Angioedema/metabolismo , Inibidores da Enzima Conversora de AngiotensinaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Orofacial granulomatosis (OFG) is characterized by granulomatous inflammation of the soft tissues of maxillofacial region. We explored OFG patients from 10 different Italian centers and summarized the most recent literature data. METHODS: A review of patients with OFG was carried out. An extensive online literature search was performed to identify studies reporting diagnosis and management of OFG. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were recruited between January 2018 and February 2020. Most of them (97.4%) displayed involvement of the lips, and 28.2% suffered from Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome. Two patients received diagnosis of CD and one patient of sarcoidosis, suggesting secondary OFG. Oral aphthosis and cervical lymphadenopathy were also described. The mean diagnostic delay was 3.4 years. Histological evaluation was performed in 34/39 patients (87.2%); non-caseating granulomas were found in 73.5% of them. Neurological symptoms (28.2%), gastrointestinal symptoms in absence of overt inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (20.5%), and atopy (35.9%) were also identified. Therapeutic approaches varied among the centers. Steroids (51.3%) were used with good or partial results. Anti-TNF-α and anti-IgE monoclonal antibodies were used in 6 (15.4%) and 1 (2.6%) patients, respectively, with variable results. Surgery was the choice for 2 patients with good response. CONCLUSIONS: OFG is a rare and neglected disease showing multiple clinical phenotypes. While early diagnosis is crucial, management is difficult and highly dependent on the expertise of clinicians due to the lack of international guidelines. There is a need to establish registry databases and address challenges of long-term management.
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Granulomatose Orofacial , Síndrome de Melkersson-Rosenthal , Diagnóstico Tardio , Granulomatose Orofacial/diagnóstico , Granulomatose Orofacial/tratamento farmacológico , Granulomatose Orofacial/epidemiologia , Humanos , Itália/epidemiologia , Síndrome de Melkersson-Rosenthal/diagnóstico , Síndrome de Melkersson-Rosenthal/epidemiologia , Síndrome de Melkersson-Rosenthal/terapia , Inibidores do Fator de Necrose TumoralRESUMO
Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is caused by mutations in the C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) gene Serpin Family G Member 1(SERPING1), which results in either the decreased synthesis of normal C1-INH (C1-INH-HAE type I) or expression of unfunctional C1-INH (C1-INH-HAE type II). In recent studies, emotional stress was reported by patients as the most common trigger factor for C1-INH-HAE attacks. Moreover, patients reported considerable distress over the significant variability and uncertainty with which the disease manifests, in addition to the impact of physical symptoms on their overall quality of life. Objective: We did a systematic review of the literature to shed light on the advancements made in the study of how stress and psychological processes impact C1-INH-HAE. Methods: All of the articles on C1-INH-HAE were analyzed up to December 2019. Both medical data bases and psychological data bases were examined. The keywords (KWs) used for searching the medical and psychological data bases were the following: "hereditary angioedema," "psychology," "stress," "anxiety," and "depression." Results: Of a total of 2549 articles on C1-INH-HAE, 113 articles were retrieved from the literature search by using the related KWs. Twenty-one of these articles were retrieved, examined, and classified. Conclusion: Although the literature confirmed that stress may induce various physical diseases, it also warned against making simplistic statements about its incidence that did not take into account the complexity and multicausality of factors that contribute to C1-INH-HAE expression.
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Angioedemas Hereditários/psicologia , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/genética , Angioedemas Hereditários/genética , Causalidade , Humanos , Mutação/genética , Angústia PsicológicaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) comprises HAE with C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) and HAE with normal C1-INH activity (nl-C1-INH-HAE), due to mutations in factor XII (FXII-HAE), plasminogen (PLG-HAE), angiopoietin 1 (ANGPT1-HAE), kininogen 1 genes (KNG1-HAE), or angioedema of unknown origin (U-HAE). The Italian network for C1-INH-HAE (ITACA) created a registry including different forms of angioedema without wheals. OBJECTIVE: We analyzed clinical and laboratory features of a cohort of Italian subjects with nl-C1-INH-HAE followed by ITACA to identify specific biomarkers. METHODS: A total of 105 nl-C1-INH-HAE patients were studied. Plasma concentrations of cleaved high-molecular-weight kininogen (cHK), vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs), angiopoietins (Angs), and secreted phospholipase A2 enzymes (sPLA2 ) were evaluated. RESULTS: We identified 43 FXII-HAE patients, 58 U-HAE, and 4 ANGPT1-HAE. We assessed a prevalence of 1:1.4 × 106 for FXII-HAE and 1:1.0 × 106 for U-HAE. cHK levels in U-HAE patients were similar to controls in plasma collected using protease inhibitors cocktail (PIC), but they significantly increased in the absence of PIC. In FXII-HAE patients, cHK levels, in the absence of PIC, were significantly higher than in controls. We found a significant increase of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and Ang1 levels in U-HAE patients compared to controls. In FXII-HAE, only VEGF-C levels were increased. Ang2 concentrations and sPLA2 activity were not modified. The levels of these mediators in ANGPT1-HAE patients were not altered. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that pathogenesis of FXII-, ANGPT1-, and U-HAE moves through an unbalanced control of kallikrein activity, with bradykinin as most likely mediator. VEGFs and Ang1 participate in the pathophysiology of U-HAE increasing the basal vascular permeability.
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Angioedema , Angioedemas Hereditários , Angioedemas Hereditários/diagnóstico , Angioedemas Hereditários/epidemiologia , Angioedemas Hereditários/genética , Angiopoietina-2 , Bradicinina , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1 , Fator XII/genética , HumanosRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disease usually caused by mutation in the C1 inhibitor or the coagulation Factor XII gene. However, in a series of patients with HAE, no causative variants have been described, and the pathophysiology of the disease remains unknown (hereditary angioedema with yet unknown genetic defect [U-HAE]). Identification of causative genes in patients with U-HAE is valuable for understanding the cause of the disease. OBJECTIVE: We conducted genetic studies in Italian patients with U-HAE to identify novel causative genes. METHODS: Among patients belonging to 10 independent families and unrelated index patients with U-HAE recruited from the Italian Network for C1-INH-HAE (ITACA), we selected a large multiplex family with U-HAE and performed whole-exome sequencing. The angiopoietin-1 gene (ANGPT1) was investigated in all patients with familial or sporadic U-HAE. The effect of ANGPT1 variants was investigated by using in silico prediction and plasma and transfected cells from both patients and control subjects. RESULTS: We identified a missense mutation (ANGPT1, c.807G>T, p.A119S) in a family with U-HAE. The ANGPT1 p.A119S variant was detected in all members of the index family with U-HAE but not in asymptomatic family members or an additional 20 patients with familial U-HAE, 22 patients with sporadic U-HAE, and 200 control subjects. Protein analysis of the plasma of patients revealed a reduction of multimeric forms and a reduced ability to bind the natural receptor tunica interna endothelial cell kinase 2 of the ANGPT1 p.A119S variant. The recombinant mutated ANGPT1 p.A119S formed a reduced amount of multimers and showed reduced binding capability to its receptor. CONCLUSION: ANGPT1 impairment is associated with angioedema, and ANGPT1 variants can be the basis of HAE.
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Angioedemas Hereditários/genética , Angiopoietina-1/genética , Mutação de Sentido Incorreto , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Recurrent angioedema (AE) without wheals is increasingly recognized as a clinical entity and a frequent cause of admission to the emergency room. The Hereditary Angioedema Working Group (HAWK) classification allowed the scientific community to go beyond the semantic confusion that dominated this topic for decades. This classification distinguishes hereditary and acquired forms of AE, either related or unrelated to C1 inhibitor deficiency. Recently, additional mechanisms have been involved in the AE pathogenesis, including the uncontrolled activation of factor XII, generation of vasoactive mediators that induce dysregulation of endothelial functions, and bidirectional interactions between mast cell-derived mediators and the plasma contact system. Thus, recurrent AE can be determined by multiple and concurrent mechanisms that may generate distinct clinical phenotypes of the disease. Frequency, severity, and the location of attacks are quite different from patient to patient and, even in the same patient, they may change throughout the course of life. The severity of the clinical phenotype strongly influences the burden of the disease and patients' quality of life. Despite major advances in our understanding of recurrent AE, many unsolved questions remain, leaving several unmet needs for patients and caregivers. This review is focused on a description of different AE phenotypes and the concurrent mechanisms leading to their pathogenesis. A better definition of cellular and molecular pathways responsible for the distinct AE phenotypes may help to improve diagnosis and may lead to a personalized approach to prophylaxis and treatment of the disease.
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Angioedema , Angioedemas Hereditários , Angioedema/diagnóstico , Angioedema/etiologia , Angioedema/fisiopatologia , Angioedema/terapia , Angioedemas Hereditários/diagnóstico , Angioedemas Hereditários/etiologia , Angioedemas Hereditários/fisiopatologia , Angioedemas Hereditários/terapia , Humanos , FenótipoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Our research focuses on the co-creation of value in healthcare with reference to a case of hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE). Our work is mainly based on the concept of value co-creation in healthcare. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of an alternative treatment strategy - self-administration - by focusing on treatment outcomes and costs to understand if innovative therapeutic solutions can create value for patients and healthcare systems. METHODS: This paper compares home-based and hospital-based therapeutic strategies (independent of treatment type) with a cost minimization analysis. It encompasses compliance issues and focuses on both payer and societal perspectives, also benefiting from an operationalization of the service-dominant logic model for healthcare delivery. Data were collected over a 6-month period (August 2014-January 2015) through monthly patient interviews. Archival data were used for variable measurement. RESULTS: Thirty-nine out of 62 patients enrolled in the study, experienced at least one HAE attacks, equally distributed between home and hospital-based strategies. No evidence of correlation between therapeutic strategy and disease severity score (p = 0.351), compliance (p = 0.399), and quality of life (p = 0.971), were found. Total direct cost per attack amounts to 1224 for home-based strategy with respect to 1454 for hospital-based strategy, with a savings of 230. The economic advantage of the home-based strategy almost doubles if the societal perspective was considered due to a further savings of 169 (less missed work/school days and no travel expenses). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that home-based therapies represent a feasible strategy for managing C1-INH-HAE and may result in lower costs and increased value for both patients and the healthcare systems. The findings are relevant to the debate on and extend the extant literature to provide a broader view of value co-creation dynamics for home-based therapies in healthcare and their positive effects. The insights are relevant to practitioners and policy makers.
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Angioedemas Hereditários/terapia , Serviços de Assistência Domiciliar/economia , Ambulatório Hospitalar/economia , Adulto , Redução de Custos , Custos e Análise de Custo , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Cooperação do Paciente , Qualidade de Vida , Anos de Vida Ajustados por Qualidade de Vida , Autoadministração , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Attacks of hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) are commonly treated in the emergency department. Self-administration is emerging as an effective treatment option. In this study, we assessed the impact of home therapy with plasma-derived C1 esterase inhibitor (pdC1-INH) concentrate on treatment outcomes and costs. METHODS: This is an observational study in C1-INH-HAE patients who switched to home therapy with pdC1-INH (Berinert®) after learning intravenous self-infusion in a training course at a center in Southern Italy. Before starting home therapy and after the first year of home therapy, patients were interviewed about their treatment and outcomes during the prior 12 months. Annual costs were analyzed by cost minimization from the Italian health care payer perspective and the societal perspective. Outcomes and costs before and after the switch to home therapy were compared. RESULTS: The training course was attended by 36 participants, 17 (47.2%) of whom decided to switch to home therapy. This therapy was associated with a significant decrease in the mean annual number of hospitalizations (16.8 vs. 2.1, p = 0.003) and missed work/school days (20.3 vs. 7.1, p = 0.037) compared to conventional treatment. The times from symptom onset to treatment administration and from treatment administration to symptom improvement/resolution were not significantly different between the two strategies. The mean annual per-patient costs decreased with home therapy from EUR 30,010.57 to EUR 26,621.16 (11.3% saving) and from EUR 29,309.34 to EUR 26,522.04 (9.5% saving) from the societal and payer perspective, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Home therapy with pdC1-INH is a feasible strategy for the management of C1-INH-HAE and may result in cost savings.
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Angioedemas Hereditários/tratamento farmacológico , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/administração & dosagem , Educação de Pacientes como Assunto , Autoadministração/economia , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Infusões Intravenosas , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Resultado do Tratamento , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is an autosomal dominant disease due to mutations in the C1 inhibitor gene (C1NH) that affects protein synthesis (HAE type I) or function (HAE type II). In 45 subjects affected by HAE diagnosed through clinical features and C1 inhibitor deficiency from the south of Italy (38 with type I and 7 with type II HAE), the whole C1NH coding region was screened for mutations by direct DNA sequencing. A severity score based on clinical manifestation, age at disease onset, and need for long-term prophylaxis was used to investigate possible genotype-phenotype correlations. A series of 22 different mutations was identified: nine missense (40.9%), five nonsense (22.7%), six frameshift (27.3), one small deletion (4.5%), and one splicing defect (4.5%). Nine C1NH mutations have not been previously described. No correlation was found between C1 inhibitor function level and severity score or age at first attack. Moreover, there was no correlation between different types of mutations and clinical phenotype. The number of different mutations identified highlights the heterogeneity of C1 inhibitor deficiency and supports the hypothesis that HAE clinical phenotype is not strictly related to the type of mutation but rather depends on unknown factors.
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Angioedemas Hereditários/genética , Proteínas Inativadoras do Complemento 1/genética , Mutação , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Angioedemas Hereditários/metabolismo , Criança , Estudos de Coortes , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1 , Feminino , Estudos de Associação Genética , Humanos , Itália , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Deleção de Sequência , Adulto JovemRESUMO
Idiopathic non-histaminergic acquired angioedema (InH-AAE) is a rare disease, with unknown etiology and pathogenesis, characterized by recurrent clinical manifestations and resistance to antihistamines and corticosteroids. We aim to evaluate clinical features and potential markers of disease in an Italian cohort of patients with InH-AAE. We enrolled 26 patients diagnosed with InH-AAE. Information about clinical features, treatments, routine laboratory investigations, immunological and genetic tests were collected. We assessed plasma levels of complement components, angiogenic and lymphangiogenic mediators, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and activity of phospholipases A2. Finally, patients underwent nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC); both quantitative and qualitative capillaroscopic parameters were analyzed. Plasma levels of VEGFs were similar in healthy controls and in InH-AAE patients. ANGPT1 was decreased in InH-AAE patients compared to controls while ANGPT2 was similar to controls. Interestingly, the ANGPT2/ANGPT1 ratio (an index of vascular permeability) was increased in InH-AAE patients compared to controls. sPLA2 activity, elevated in patients with C1-INH-HAE, showed differences also when measured in InH-AAE patients. TNF-α concentration was higher in InH-AAE patients than in healthy controls, conversely, the levels of CXCL8, and IL-6 were similar in both groups. At the NVC, the capillary loops mainly appeared short and tortuous in InH-AAE patients. InH-AAE represents a diagnostic challenge. Due to the potential life-threatening character of this condition, a prompt identification of the potentially bradykinin-mediated forms is crucial. A better comprehension of the mechanism involved in InH-AAE would also lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to improve life quality of patients affected by this disabling disease.
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In this study, the Huisgen reaction has been used to functionalise a carborane cage with a lipophilic moiety and a 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) ligand to obtain a new Gd boron neutron-capture therapy (BNCT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent. The introduction of the triazole units has been accomplished under both heterogeneous conditions, by the use of a Cu-supported ionic-liquid catalyst, and homogeneous conditions. The ability of the Gd complex of the synthesised ligand to form stable adducts with low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) has been evaluated and then MRI has been performed on tumour melanoma cells incubated in the presence of a Gd-complex/LDL imaging probe. It has been concluded that the high amount of intracellular boron necessary to perform BNCT can be reached even in the presence of a relatively low-boron-containing LDL concentration.
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Boranos/química , Terapia por Captura de Nêutron de Boro/métodos , Química Click , Gadolínio/química , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Animais , Transporte Biológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Técnicas de Química Sintética , Cobre/química , Ciclização , Gadolínio/metabolismo , Gadolínio/uso terapêutico , Humanos , Interações Hidrofóbicas e Hidrofílicas , Lipoproteínas LDL/metabolismo , Melanoma Experimental/diagnóstico , Melanoma Experimental/metabolismo , Melanoma Experimental/patologia , CamundongosRESUMO
High levels of human group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 (hGIIA) have been associated with various inflammatory disease conditions. We have recently shown that hGIIA activity and concentration are increased in the plasma of patients with hereditary angioedema due to C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) and negatively correlate with C1-INH plasma activity. In this study, we analyzed whether the presence of both hGIIA and C1-INH impairs their respective function on immune cells. hGIIA, but not recombinant and plasma-derived C1-INH, stimulates the production of IL-6, CXCL8, and TNF-α from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). PBMC activation mediated by hGIIA is blocked by RO032107A, a specific hGIIA inhibitor. Interestingly, C1-INH inhibits the hGIIA-induced production of IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL8, while it does not affect hGIIA enzymatic activity. On the other hand, hGIIA reduces the capacity of C1-INH at inhibiting C1-esterase activity. Spectroscopic and molecular docking studies suggest a possible interaction between hGIIA and C1-INH but further experiments are needed to confirm this hypothesis. Together, these results provide evidence for a new interplay between hGIIA and C1-INH, which may be important in the pathophysiology of hereditary angioedema.
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Angioedemas Hereditários , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1 , Fosfolipases A2 do Grupo II , Humanos , Interleucina-6 , Leucócitos Mononucleares , Simulação de Acoplamento Molecular , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/química , Proteína Inibidora do Complemento C1/metabolismo , Fosfolipases A2 do Grupo II/química , Fosfolipases A2 do Grupo II/metabolismoRESUMO
Abdominal pain is one of the most common conditions leading people to the emergency department. An uncommon but well described cause of abdominal pain is angioedema of the gastrointestinal tract due to recurrent angioedema without wheals. Abdominal involvement is very common in hereditary angioedema (HAE), but it is also described in acquired angioedema and allergic forms. In patients with HAE, the involvement of gastrointestinal tract with resultant abdominal pain occurs in 43-93% of cases. Attacks can involve the entire gastrointestinal tract, such as the oropharynx, small intestine, colon, liver, or pancreas. Pain is the most common gastrointestinal symptom, and it may occur for many years even without cutaneous or respiratory symptoms. The case report we included in this article emphasizes the importance of accurate evaluation of personal and family history in patients with a long history of acute, severe, and unexplained abdominal pain, and it gives an example of how diagnostic delay may be longer if gastroenterological symptoms are the predominant clinical presentation. Furthermore, sometimes the simultaneous presence of concomitant gastrointestinal disorders and HAE may cause difficulties in differential diagnosis. Gastroenterologists and other physicians should add HAE to their list of potential causes of unexplained abdominal pain. The initiation of appropriate prophylaxis and treatment will prevent needless suffering and useless surgical and medical procedures.
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Angioedema , Angioedemas Hereditários , Angioedema/diagnóstico , Angioedema/etiologia , Angioedema/terapia , Angioedemas Hereditários/diagnóstico , Angioedemas Hereditários/terapia , Diagnóstico Tardio , Erros de Diagnóstico , Trato Gastrointestinal , HumanosRESUMO
Episodic angioedema with eosinophilia (EAE) (Gleich's syndrome) is a rare disease characterized by hypereosinophilia (up to 95 × 109 cells/L), recurrent episodes of angioedema, urticaria, weight gain, and fever, that occur at periodical intervals (usually every 3-4 weeks). The exact etiology of EAE is still unclear, but both eosinophils and abnormalities of cytokines homeostasis seem to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In particular, the cyclic elevation of serum interleukin-5 before the increase in eosinophil count has been reported. Herein, we performed a broad literature review and report the case of a thirty-two-year-old woman with a two-year history of cyclic angioedema attacks, urticaria, periodic weight gain, and severe hypereosinophilia, diagnosed with EAE and treated with oral corticosteroids. Describing the most relevant clinical features of EAE reported so far in the literature, we aim to provide physicians with some useful tools to help them deal with this disease. In addition, we aim to raise awareness about this rare condition in which approved diagnostic classification criteria are currently missing.
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BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema associated to C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) is a pathological condition characterized by episodes of subcutaneous swelling and it is frequently associated with discomfort and social impairment of the patients, due to the anxiety experienced for an unpreventable manifestation of an attack during daily life. In children increased level of stress and alexithymia have been associated to C1-INH-HAE, and the latter correlated also with the severity of the disease. We hypothesized that the involvement of psychological issues may impact on the severity of C1-INH-HAE in adult patients as well, interfering with their ability to engage with the management of the disease. METHODS: 28 adult patients with C1-INH-HAE were evaluated for clinical (C1-INH-HAE Severity Score) and psychological factors (alexithymia, emotion regulation, stress, patient health engagement, general severity index) by means of validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Mean age (standard deviation [SD]) was 45 (11) years and time from diagnosis was 20 (12) years. The mean C1-INH-HAE severity score was 6.4. Alexithymia was absent in 22 (78%) patients. Moderate and high stress levels were present in 17 (61%) and 4 (14%) patients, respectively. Moderate-high discomfort was experienced by 9 (36%) patients and a discomfort beyond the clinical attention threshold was shown by 3 (12%) patients. Stress correlated with patient health engagement and with psychological discomfort. CONCLUSIONS: In C1-INH-HAE, patients health engagement and moderate-high psychological discomfort are linked with stress but not with the severity of the disease or alexithymia. A better patient health engagement may be a target for psychological intervention in clinics to ameliorate the stress perceived by C1-INH-HAE patients.