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Symptom questionnaire quiz

Do you have a family history of hereditary angioedema?
Have you experienced episodes of swelling of the skin or mucous membranes (for example, hands, feet, face, lips, throat, abdomen, genitals, or other areas)?
Have you had recurring episodes of severe abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting?
Have you ever experienced swelling in your airways, causing difficulty breathing, swallowing, or speaking?
Do any of the symptoms mentioned (swelling of the skin, mucous membranes, airway/abdominal pain, or cramps, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting) occur for an established reason?
How often do any of the symptoms mentioned (swelling of the skin, mucous membranes, airway/abdominal pain or cramps, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting) occur?
How long does one episode last on average?
Are these episodes associated with specific triggers? Triggers (such as stress or anxiety/minor injuries or surgeries/illnesses such as a cold or flu/physical activity such as typing, hammering, or pushing a lawn mower/taking medications, including those used for high blood pressure and congestive heart failure (ACE inhibitors))
Have you been treated with medications such as antihistamines or corticosteroids without significant improvement?
Have you ever been diagnosed with or treated for another form of angioedema or allergy?
low result

Low Risk1-5​

You are not at high risk for HAE.​

However, if any of the symptoms in the questionnaire are of concern to you, please contact your doctor for further advice.

result

Moderate risk1-5​

You have a possible risk of developing HAE: further evaluation by a physician is recommended. Contact your physician for further advice.

hight result

High Risk1-5​

You have a high risk of developing HAE.​

An urgent referral to a specialist for further diagnostic testing for HAE or a referral to a specialist treating this disease is recommended.

Hereditary angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disorder characterized by recurring episodes of severe swelling in various locations throughout the body, including the face, extremities, gastrointestinal tract, and airways1.

ageSymptoms often begin in childhood, worsen during puberty, and persist throughout life with unpredictable severity2.

 

 

calendarHAE attacks may gradually worsen over the first 12–36 hours and then subside over 2–5 days3.

 

 

attentionAlthough most HAE attacks occur spontaneously, it is important to identify possible triggers. HAE triggers may include: physical trauma, psychological stress, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, use of estrogen-containing drugs, and infectious diseases3.

HAE affects 1/50,000 people worldwide1

stomachIn HAE, 93%

of patients experience abdominal attacks, which are characterized by abdominal pain3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Consequences of HAE attacks if left untreated


attention

  •  Unnecessary surgical interventions

 

throatIn HAE, more than 50%

of patients will experience more than one attack of laryngeal edema during their lifetime3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Consequences of HAE attacks if left untreated


attention

  • Asphyxia 4
  • Lethal laryngeal edema 4

 

 

Improved understanding of the pathophysiology of HAE has facilitated the development of new targeted therapies. Attack-terminating drugs have gradually improved patient safety and quality of life. Effective and safe preventive treatments now offer patients with HAE a path to a normal life.

Resourses

  1. Lopez M A. Hereditary Angioedema Epidemiology. Rare Disease Advisor. (2022)[online]. Link: https://www.rarediseaseadvisor.com/disease-info-pages/hereditary-angioedema-epidemiology/.
  2. Chong-Neto HJ. A narrative review of recent literature of the quality of life in hereditary angioedema patients. World Allergy Organ J. 2023 Mar 20;16(3):100758. doi: 10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100758. PMID: 36994443; PMCID: PMC10040818. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10040818/.
  3. Bork K, Anderson JT, Caballero T, Craig T, Johnston DT, Li HH, Longhurst HJ, Radojicic C, Riedl MA. Assessment and management of disease burden and quality of life in patients with hereditary angioedema: a consensus report. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2021 Apr 19;17(1):40. doi: 10.1186/s13223-021-00537-2. PMID: 33875020; PMCID: PMC8056543. Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8056543/.
  4. Busse PJ, Christiansen SC. Hereditary Angioedema. N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar 19;382(12):1136-1148. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra1808012. PMID: 32187470. Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32187470/.
  5. Doctor discussion guide. (2022). Available at: https://th.knowhae.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/discussion-guide.pdf [Accessed 12 Nov. 2024].
  6. Henao, M. P., Craig, T., Kraschnewski, J., & Kelbel, T. (2016). Diagnosis and screening of patients with hereditary angioedema in primary care. Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management, 12, 701. https://doi.org/10.2147/TCRM.S86293.
  7. Shams, M., Laney, D. A., Jacob, D. A., Yang, J., Dronen, J., Logue, A., Rosen, A., & Riedl, M. (2022). Validation of a suspicion index to identify patients at risk for hereditary angioedema. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Global, 2(1), 76–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacig.2022.08.009.
  8. Stuart, A. (2023). Hereditary Angioedema: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment. WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/hereditary-angioedema.
  9. Maurer, M., Magerl, M., Betschel, S., Aberer, W., Ansotegui, I. J., Aygören‐Pürsün, E., Banerji, A., Bara, N., Boccon‐Gibod, I., Bork, K., Bouillet, L., Boysen, H. B., Brodszki, N., Busse, P. J., Bygum, A., Caballero, T., Cancian, M., Castaldo, A., Cohn, D. M., & Csuka, D. (2022). The international WAO/EAACI guideline for the management of hereditary angioedema—The 2021 revision and update. Allergy, 77(7), 1947-1980. https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15214.