Age Characteristics and Concomitant Diseases in Patients with Angioedema

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Angioneurotic oedema (AE) is an unpredictable and dangerous disease directly threatening the patient's life due to a sudden onset of upper respiratory tract obstruction. The disease is associated with various causes and triggering factors, but little is known about the conditions that accompany AE.

AIM: The study aims to determine the age-specificities and the spectrum of concomitant diseases in patients with AE.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The subjects of observation were 88 patients (53 women and 35 men) with angioneurotic oedema who underwent diagnostics and treatment in the Department of Occupational Diseases and Clinical Allergology of University hospital “Saint Georgeâ€-Plovdiv.

RESULTS: The highest level of disease prevalence was found in the age group over 50 years, both in males (45.71%) and females (54.72%). We found that the most often concomitant diseases in our patients with AE are cardiovascular (33%). On second place are the patients with other accompanying conditions outside of the target groups (27.3%). Patients with AE and autoimmune thyroiditis were 14.8%, and those with AE and skeletal-muscle disorders-10.2%. Given the role of hereditary factors in this disease, the profession of the patients is considered insignificant.

CONCLUSION: Angioedema occurs in all age groups, but half of the cases are in people over 50 years of age. The most common concomitant diseases in angioedema are cardiovascular diseases.