[Diagnosis and treatment of hereditary angioedema: clinical illustration and brief literature review].

Hereditary angio-oedema is an autosomal dominant transmitted disease that is characterized by swellings of the subcutaneous or mucosal tissues. The edematous manifestations develop over a few hours and disappear spontaneously in a few days. This disease, which is due to an excess of bradykinine, a peptide that induces vasodilatation and increases vascular permeability, is different from angioedema mediated by histamine (frequently accompanied by urticaria). This difference explains the inefficiency of antiallergic therapies to treat the crises. This condition, although rare, is important to know because it is potentially lethal if the edema leads to laryngeal obstruction. After the report of a clinical example, this paper will consider the pathophysiology and the classification of angio-oedema without urticaria. New therapeutic recommendations for the treatment of hereditary angio-oedema will also be considered.