Project description:Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a debilitating condition caused by a functional C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency and characterized clinically by episodes of subcutaneous or submucosal swelling. C1-INH replacement is highly effective for preventing HAE attacks and can improve health-related quality of life. Once available only for intravenous use, C1-INH is now available as a subcutaneous formulation for self-administration, shown to provide sustained plasma levels of C1-INH and reducing the monthly median HAE attack rate by 95% versus placebo in the phase 3 COMPACT study. Subcutaneously administered C1-INH satisfies multiple unmet needs in the management of patients with HAE.
Project description:A diagnosis of hereditary angioedema is usually made with recurrent episodes of swelling of the subcutaneous tissue with a family history. We herein report a case in which recurrent acute abdomen was the main manifestation of hereditary angioedema. A 45-year-old womon presented with a 10-year history of recurrent severe abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed remarkable submucosal edema of the ileum. A blood examination revealed grossly reduced complement C4 and CH50 with deficiency of C1-inhibitor. Genetic testing revealed a heterozygous nonsense mutation of the SERPING1 gene, and a diagnosis of hereditary angioedema was made. Hereditary angioedema should be listed as a differential diagnosis of recurrent acute abdomen.
Project description:A biomarker is a defined characteristic measured as an indicator of normal, biologic, pathogenic processes, or biological responses to an exposure or intervention. Diagnostic biomarkers are used to detect a disease or a subtype of a disease; monitoring biomarkers are measured serially to assess a medical condition; response biomarkers are used to check biologic response following a medical intervention; predictive biomarkers are used to identify patients who are more likely to respond to a medical intervention; and prognostic biomarkers are used to assess the future likelihood of a clinical event. Although biomarkers have been extensively investigated and validated in many diseases and pathologies, very few are currently useful for the diagnosis, evaluation of disease activity, and treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE). Pathophysiologic pathways involved in HAE reveal a plethora of molecules from the complement, coagulation, and fibrinolysis systems or from the vascular endothelium, which may serve as biomarkers. The most promising candidates, together with their laboratory readout systems, should be evaluated with regard to their analytical and clinical validity and utility. To be highly specific, such biomarkers should be linked to the pathomechanisms of HAE, particularly the bradykinin-generating cascade. Additionally, major advances in high-throughput omics-based technologies may facilitate the discovery of new candidate biomarkers in the future. This review will cover the existing as well as future potential biomarkers that will support the diagnosis, monitor disease activity, and can be used to assess the efficacy of new avenues of therapy of HAE and other forms of angioedema.
Project description:Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a disease which is associated with random and often unpredictable attacks of painful swelling typically affecting the extremities, bowel mucosa, genitals, face and upper airway. Attacks are associated with significant functional impairment, decreased Health Related Quality of Life, and mortality in the case of laryngeal attacks. Caring for patients with HAE can be challenging due to the complexity of this disease. The care of patients with HAE in Canada is neither optimal nor uniform across the country. It lags behind other countries where there are more organized models for HAE management, and where additional therapeutic options are licensed and available for use. The objective of this guideline is to provide graded recommendations for the management of patients in Canada with HAE. This includes the treatment of attacks, short-term prophylaxis, long-term prophylaxis, and recommendations for self-administration, individualized therapy, quality of life, and comprehensive care. It is anticipated that by providing this guideline to caregivers, policy makers, patients and their advocates, that there will be an improved understanding of the current recommendations regarding management of HAE and the factors that need to be considered when choosing therapies and treatment plans for individual patients. The primary target users of this guideline are healthcare providers who are managing patients with HAE. Other healthcare providers who may use this guideline are emergency physicians, gastroenterologists, dentists and otolaryngologists, who will encounter patients with HAE and need to be aware of this condition. Hospital administrators, insurers and policy makers may also find this guideline helpful.
Project description:Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disease generally caused by deficiency or mutations in the C1-inhibitor gene, SERPING1, a member of the Serpin family. HAE results in acute attacks of edema, vasodilation, GI pain and hypotension. C1INH is a key inhibitor of enzymes controlling complement activation, fibrinolysis and the contact system. In HAE patients, contact system activation leads to uncontrolled production of bradykinin, the vasodilator responsible for the characteristic symptoms of HAE. In this study, we present the first physiological in vivo model to mimic acute HAE attacks. We evaluate hypotension, one of the many hallmark symptoms of acute HAE attacks using Serping1 deficient mice (serping1-/-) and implanted telemetry. Attacks were induced by IV injection of a silica nanoparticle (SiNP) suspension. Blood pressure was measured in real time, in conscious and untethered mice using implanted telemetry. SiNP injection induced a rapid, reversible decrease in blood pressure, in the presence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. We also demonstrate that an HAE therapeutic, ecallantide, can prevent HAE attacks in this model. The in vivo murine model described here can facilitate the understanding of acute HAE attacks, support drug development and ultimately contribute to improved patient care.
Project description:BackgroundHereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disease that can lead to potentially life-threatening airway attacks. Although novel therapies for HAE treatment have become available over the past decades, a comparison of all available treatments has not yet been conducted. As such, we will perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to identify the best evidence-based treatments for the management of acute attacks and prophylaxis of HAE.MethodsThis study will include both parallel and crossover randomized controlled trials that have investigated prevention or treatment strategies for HAE attacks. We will search electronic databases, including Medline, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and CINAHL, from inception with no language restrictions. Potential trials will be supplemented through a gray literature search. The process of study screening, selection, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment, certainty assessment and classification of treatments will be performed independently by a pair of reviewers. Any discrepancy will be addressed through team discussion. A two-step approach of pairwise and network meta-analysis will be performed. The summarized effect estimates of direct and indirect treatment comparisons will be pooled using DerSimonion-Laird random-effects models. The incoherence assumption, in terms of the consistency of direct and indirect effects, will be assessed. An evidence-based synthesis will be performed, based on the magnitudes of effect size, evidence certainty, and ranking of treatment effects, with respect to treatment benefits and harms.DiscussionThis systematic review and network meta-analysis will summarize evidence-based conclusions with respect to the ratio of benefits and harms arising from interventions for the treatment of acute attacks and prophylaxis of HAE. Evidence from this network estimate could promote the rational use of interventions among people living with HAE in clinical practice settings. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021251367.
Project description:Because no gold-standard outcome measure or measures exist to allow comparison of pediatric stroke study outcomes in clinical trials, we designed a systematic review of the literature to survey the current use of pediatric stroke outcome measures. Studies that used at least 1 standardized measure to assess the outcome of children with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, from full-term newborn to age 18 years, were included. Although 34 studies were included, an additional 36 studies could not be included because ad hoc, author-generated outcome measures were used. Excluding those measures in neuropsychological batteries, 38 unique outcome measures were used. The Wechsler Intelligence Scales, Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measure, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development were among the most used, but 79% of outcome measures were used by no more than 2 studies. Although many measures used have been validated for use in children with other medical conditions or for adults with stroke, only 1 measure has been specifically validated for use in pediatric ischemic stroke. To maximize comparability of future clinical trial results, agreement regarding a preferred pediatric stroke outcome scale or battery of measures is paramount; these measures should be reliable, responsive to change, and specifically validated for use in children with stroke.
Project description:Remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of bradykinin-mediated angioedema with the advent of multiple new therapies. Patients now have effective medications available for prophylaxis and treatment of acute attacks. However, hereditary angioedema is a burdensome disease that can lead to debilitating and dangerous angioedema episodes associated with significant costs for individuals and society. The burden of treatment must be addressed regarding medication administration difficulties, treatment complications, and adverse side effects. New therapies are being investigated and may offer solutions to these challenges. This article reviews the emerging therapeutic options for the treatment of HAE.
Project description:Hereditary angioedema (HAE) with C1-inhibitor (C1-Inh) deficiency (C1-Inh-HAE) is a rare, life-threatening, and disabling genetic disorder characterized by self-limited tissue swelling caused by deficiency or dysfunction of C1-Inh. Our aim in this update is to discuss new advances in HAE therapy, focusing mainly on the various treatment options that have become available recently and also drugs that are under trial for prophylaxis to prevent attacks. There is a paradigm shift to where the treatment of HAE is headed, focusing now on prophylactic treatment rather than abortive management.
Project description:ObjectiveThis study systematically reviews the existing literature on the management of hereditary angioedema (HAE) and provides an update on the clinical presentation and specific therapies.MethodsA literature search of PubMed and Embase databases was conducted from start of the database to February 2021. Inclusion criteria included relevant systematic reviews, randomized control clinical trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, and outcomes research published in English and available in full-text. Out of 310 candidate articles, a total of 55 articles were included in our study.ResultsThe most common genetic form of HAE in up to 85% of cases is caused by low levels of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein, leading to a bradykinin-mediated increase in vascular permeability. During an attack of HAE, abortive treatment with C1-INH replacement is most commonly described, however, icatibant, ecallantide, or fresh frozen plasma are also used. Long-term prophylaxis in the form of C1-INH replacement (subcutaneous or intravenous), monoclonal antibodies targeting plasma kallikrein, attenuated androgens, and transexemic acid should be considered for those who suffer from frequent, severe attacks.ConclusionProgressively distal involvement of the upper airway, especially the larynx, has been shown to pose an increased risk of asphyxiation and death in the acute presentation of HAE. Evaluation by an otolaryngologist is often sought during the emergent clinical management of HAE; therefore, it is prudent that the consulting physician is well-versed in the prompt recognition, triage of patients, and appropriate treatment modalities.Level of evidence1A.