Successful treatment of a facial attack of angioedema with icatibant in a patient with idiopathic angioedema

Angioedema (AE) is related to the activation of the contact phase system-kallikrein and generation of bradykinin. Different types of AE are recognized: hereditary or acquired deficit of the C1 inhibitor, drug-related, or idiopathic. Treatment of idiopathic nonhistaminergic AE (IAE) is difficult because corticosteroids, antihistamine drugs, and adrenalin are inefficacious. We describe a patient with an IAE and an acute attack of facial AE that was successfully treated with the bradykinin receptor antagonist icatibant. This case report strengthens the relevance of bradykinin formation in IAE and underlines the effectiveness of icatibant as a therapeutic option in acute IAE. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved