title: [Hereditary angioedema. Treatment of acute attacks in Argentina].
abstract: In the world, hereditary angioedema (HAE) affects 1 every 50000 persons. It is characterized by highly disabling and recurrent episodes of cutaneous, abdominal and laryngeal episodes of angioedema. Asphyxia related mortality ranges from 15 to 50%. In Argentina a plasma derived C1 inhibitor concentrate (pdC1INH) has been available for the treatment of acute attacks for many decades, however, only15 (26%) out of 58 patients had received pdC1INH at least once until 2008, and only2 (3.4%) had used it regularly. After worldwide approval of the new drugs for the treatment of acute HAE attacks, adding icatibant to pdC1INH in Argentina, and after publication of the therapeutic guide for the country, 42 (82%) out of 51 patients from the original group has pdC1INH available to treat their next attack. However, 16 (18%) patients continue without access to medication and other 15 (35.7%) obtain their therapy spuriously through some other affected relative in their environment. Only 12 (28.6%) patients of the group self-treated at home. Access to treatment has greatly improved, but needs to be extended to all patients and self-treatment at home should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Alergia, Asma e Inmunología Clínica, Buenos Aires, Argentina. E-mail: amalbran31@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malbrán
authors.forename: Eloisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Malbrán
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menéndez
authors.forename: Diego S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Fernández Romero
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D054179:Angioedemas, Hereditary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001118:Argentina; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051056:Complement Inactivating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D050718:Complement C1 Inhibitor Protein; D051056:Complement Inactivating Agents; C065679:icatibant; D001920:Bradykinin
keywords: C1 inhibitor; hereditary angioedema