Autoimmune angioedema (acute skin swelling)

Autoimmune angioedema is a condition in which the body's own antibodies attack its own cells and cause acute swelling of the skin's dermis layer. Swelling can be life-threatening if it affects the throat or other exposed areas - so always call the emergency room if acute swelling occurs. Epinephrine can be life-saving when the condition is caused by allergies (such as wasp stings or peanut allergy), but can be ineffective in autoimmune causes.

Symptoms of autoimmune angioedema

The facial skin, normally seen around the mouth, including the throat and tongue, can swell sharply all over in from a few minutes to hours. The swelling can also occur elsewhere, for example in the hands - and can be both itchy and painful. There may also be some decreased sensation in the area due to the edema pressing against local sensory nerves.

Clinical signs

As mentioned above under 'symptoms'.

Image of angioedema

This boy cannot open his eyes due to excessive swelling.

Diagnosis and cause

The diagnosis is made through a series of clinical examinations and a thorough medical history. Blood tests are often taken to look for abnormal values.

Who is affected by the disease?

In the United States, there are as many as 80000 to 112000, annually, who have to undergo emergency medical care due to angioedema.

Treatment

As mentioned, anti-histamines or epinephrine are used if the cause is allergy, but this does not work well against autoimmune causes. Medication treatment may also target symptoms exacerbated by the condition.

The most common form of treatment for autoimmune conditions is included immunosuppression - that is, drugs and measures that limit and cushion the body's own defense system. Gene therapy that limits inflammatory processes in immune cells has shown great progress in recent times, often in combination with increased activation of anti-inflammatory genes and processes.

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Also read: - Complete overview of autoimmune diseases

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