Hereditary angioedema

The journal Journal of Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology has published a study about hereditary angioedema. Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but serious condition characterized by recurrent spontaneous attacks of angioedema affecting superficial tissues of upper respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. To assess the health-related quality of life of Canadian patients with HAE using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. Twenty-one patients living in Canada over age 18 with known diagnosis of hereditary angioedema due to C1-INH deficiency (HAE), completed the SF-36v2 (generic HRQoL questionnaire). The SF-36v2 showed a significant reduction in general health (p = 0.0063) in patients with HAE when compared with healthy Canadians. This study of Canadian patients with HAE shows that General Health is most frequently affected followed by Bodily Pain and Vitality, as measured by SF-36v2. The SF-36v2 offers valuable insight to assess quality of life in patients with HAE, however a larger number of Canadian patients and specific tools for assessment are needed for better evaluation. The full-text study you can find here.