Angioedema, Hereditary

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Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Angioedema, Hereditary is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Angioneurotic Edema, Hereditary
• C1-INH
• C1NH
• Complement Component 1 Inhibitor Deficiciency
• Complement Component C1, Regulatory Component Deficiency
• Esterase Inhibitor Deficiency
• HAE
• HANE

Disorder Subdivisions

• C1 Esterase Inhibitor Deficiency, Type I, Angioedema
• C1 Esterase Inhibitor Dysfunction, Type II, Angioedema

General Discussion

Hereditary angioedema is a rare inherited disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of the accumulation of fluids outside of the blood vessels, blocking the normal flow of blood or lymphatic fluid and causing rapid swelling of tissues in the hands, feet, limbs, face, intestinal tract, or airway. Usually, this swelling is not accompanied by itching, as it might be with an allergic reaction. Swelling of the gastrointestinal tract leads to cramping. Swelling of the airway may lead to obstruction, a potentially very serious complication. These symptoms develop as the result of deficiency or improper functioning of certain proteins that help to maintain the normal flow of fluids through very small blood vessels (capillaries). In some cases, fluid may accumulate in other internal organs. The severity of the disease varies greatly among affected individuals.



The most common form of the disorder is hereditary angioedema type I, which is the result of abnormally low levels of certain complex proteins in the blood (C1 esterase inhibitors), known as complements. They help to regulate various body functions (e.g., flow of body fluids in and out of cells). Hereditary angioedema type II, a more uncommon form of the disorder, occurs as the result of the production of abnormal complement proteins.

Resources

Immune Deficiency Foundation

40 West Chesapeake Avenue

Suite 308

Towson, MD 21230

Tel: (410)321-6647

Fax: (410)321-9165

Tel: (800)296-4433

Email: idf@primaryimmune.org

Internet: http://www.primaryimmune.org



NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

6610 Rockledge Drive

MSC 6612

Bethesda, MD 20892-6612

Tel: (301)496-5717

Fax: (301)402-3573

TDD: (800)877-8339

Internet: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/



American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology

611 East Wells Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Tel: (414)272-6071

Fax: (414)276-3349

Tel: (800)822-2762

Email: info@aaaai.org

Internet: http://www.aaaai.org



Hereditary Angioedema Association, Inc.

575-A Cooke Street, Suite 2219

Honolulu, HI 96813

Tel: (774)206-5555

Fax: (774)206-5609

Email: generalinfo@hereditaryangioedema.com

Internet: http://www.haea.org



European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID)

c/o Dr. Esther de Vries

Jeroen Bosch Hospital

Dept. Paediatrics

P.O. Box 90153

Hertogenbosch, 5200 ME's

Netherlands

Tel: +31 73-6992965

Fax: +31 73-6992948

Email: info@esid.org

Internet: http://www.esid.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  10/13/2008

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Last updated:	October 13, 2008