Angioedema: 6 years experience with fourteen cases

Objective: To study difference in the findings between the causes of angioedema and the characteristics of angioedema induced by angiotensin receptor II blockers (ARBs), and to investigate whether laboratory examinations for acute phase inflammatory markers call aid in diagnosis and predict airway risk. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed fourteen cases of patients with angioedema that were treated from 2000 to 2006. Data were collected regarding age, sex, location of the ederna, cause, time course of resolution and laboratory examinations (leukocyte counts, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level, Complement function and the activity of CI esterase inhibtor). Results: The causes of angioedema were ACEIs in six patients (42.9%), candesartan (ARB) in three (21.4%), HAE (types 1 and 2) in two, and unknown in three. Of these patients, 71.4% exhibited edema in the floor of the mouth, irrespective of the cause. Two patients with edema induced by candesartan exhibited both lingual and laryngeal edemas. The remaining one with candesartan-induced edema exhibited edema in the nect and mediastinum and pleural effusion. The average time to resolution was 4.1 days ranging from oen to twelve days. The edema in eleven patients resolved with conservative therapy, while three patients underwent tracheotomy. In two patients with candesartan-induced edema, although the edemas resolved completely after cessation of candesartan administration, the edemas reappeared in the same locations, two and thirty days after the cessation of Candesartan for each patient. None of the patients with angioedema induced by ACEIs exhibited elevation of serum CRP levels. No significant differences were found for leukocyte counts and serum CRP levels between patients with angioedemas induced by ACEIs, ARB and those of unknown cause. No significant differences were observed in the above findings between the patients who underwent tracheotomy and those who di not. Two patients exhibited low C4 levels, and one of the two exhibited no activity of Cl esterage inhibitor. Conclusion: Consistent with previous reports, angioedema in the floor of the mouth extending to the tongue should be considered as a possible risk factor for airway compromise. Laboratory examinations for acute phase inflammatory markers are not useful for diagnosis and are not predictive for airway intubation and tracheotomy. Angioedema induced by candesartan can present in anomalous sites and reappear (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.