Vol.98 No.3 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 98 No. 3 March 2005
Quincke's Edema in the Field of Head and Neck
Teruhisa Suzuki, Hiroshi Ogawa, Yukie Suzuki and Koichi Oomori
(Fukushima Medical University)
Quincke's edema is a non-pitting edema which is usually limited to the skin and the mucous membranes of the face and upper aerodigestive tract. The risk of acute upper airway obstruction makes angioneurotic edema a concern for otolaryngologists because prompt recognition of the condition and immediate therapy is essential for proper airway management.
A retrospective chart review was performed on 8 patients (5 men, 3 women; mean age, 58.6 years) who were given a diagnosis of Quincke's edema at Fukushima Medical University Hospital from 1989 to 2003. The major clinical symptom was edema of the tongue and larynx.
In two of the 8 cases, examination revealed low activity of the inhibitor of the first complement of component (C1-INH). We subsequently diagnosed hereditary angioedema (HAE). Three cases experienced an acute episode of angioedema following meals. We subsequently diagnosed food allergy.
Two patients showed recurrent symptoms. Since Quincke's edema occurs suddenly and disappears after a short duration, it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis. We reported the clinical details of Quincke's edema with special refference to its diagnosis and treatment.
Key words : Quincke's edema, hereditary angioedema, food allergy