Non-hereditary angioedema treated with tranexamic acid. A 6-month placebo controlled trial with follow-up 4 years later.

Ten patients with frequent attacks of non-hereditary angioedema were treated with tranexamic acid or placebo in a double blind manner, each period lasting 3 months. During the tranexamic acid period nine patients became symptom-free, or substantially improved, while one was unaffected (P less than 0.05). In four patients itching was a major accompanying complaint which was relieved in three. Diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort were more pronounced during tranexamic acid treatment (P less than 0.05), but only necessitated dose reduction in one patient. Four years later contact was obtained with eight of the nine responders and six were still taking tranexamic acid regularly, while in two patients the attacks were so infrequent that the drug was not taken regularly.