title: Clinical impact of peripheral attacks in hereditary angioedema patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Episodes of acute subcutaneous angioedema affecting the extremities in patients with known hereditary angioedema are called peripheral attacks. These attacks are considered to be of limited clinical importance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of peripheral attacks in patients with hereditary angioedema and to assess the response to treatment with recombinant human C1-inhibitor (rhC1INH).
  
  
  METHODS
  Hereditary angioedema patients with a peripheral attack included in a clinical database of rhC1INH were analyzed. Visual analog scale (VAS) scoring was used to evaluate symptom severity and response to therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-five patients with a peripheral attack were identified. VAS scores for 64 patients were available. Twenty-nine (45%) patients reported a single peripheral location of the attack, the others multiple locations. Eight patients (13%) indicated moderate (VAS 20-50 mm) and 55 (86%) severe (VAS ≥50 mm) swelling, 17 (27%) had moderate and 35 (55%) severe pain, while 8 (13%) patients reported moderate and 51 (80%) severe dysfunction for the peripheral attack. Symptom VAS scores decreased over time more rapidly in patients treated with rhC1INH than in patients treated with placebo. Onset of relief was achieved in 95% of the rhC1INH-treated patients within 4 hours, whereas only 21% of saline-treated patients had relief in the same time period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripheral attacks in hereditary angioedema patients often are located at multiple anatomical locations and frequently have associated pain and dysfunction, in addition to swelling, as dominant symptoms. The medical need for treatment of these attacks may be underestimated. Treatment with rhC1INH constitutes a therapeutic option for acute peripheral hereditary angioedema attacks.
authors: Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands.
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Kusuma
authors: Anurag
authors: A
authors: Relan
authors: André C
authors: AC
authors: Knulst
authors: Dumitru
authors: D
authors: Moldovan
authors: Bruce
authors: B
authors: Zuraw
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Cicardi
authors: Robyn J
authors: RJ
authors: Levy
authors: Jan H
authors: JH
authors: Nuijens
authors: C Erik
authors: CE
authors: Hack
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054179:Angioedemas, Hereditary / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003174:Complement C1 Inactivator Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003174:Complement C1 Inactivator Proteins; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C469952:SERPING1 protein, human