Self-Management Plans in Patients with Hereditary Angioedema: Strategies, Outcomes and Integration into Clinical Care

Patient-physician interactions in hereditary angioedema-Key learnings from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease pandemic and its containing measures have caused concerns for patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) and their treating physicians. Both faced challenges surrounding interaction, and communication had to adapt to facilitate appropriate management. Specifically, the pandemic resulted in reduced in-person contact in clinics. Where possible, telemedicine appointments were offered and treatment outside the hospital setting was encouraged. BODY: The pandemic markedly affected patient-physician communication, which is essential to maintain partnerships and optimize care. Although patients with HAE are often experts in their condition, guidance by their physicians is essential, especially with the recent shift toward patient-centered management for rare diseases and shared decision-making (SDM). SDM enables patients to take control of their disease and allows the risks and benefits of treatment to be discussed with their physicians. This review explores perspectives from patients and physicians in the HAE clinical setting, particularly regarding their experiences with communication throughout the pandemic. We discuss the importance of SDM in rare diseases such as HAE, factors that impact effective communication, and potential solutions.

CONCLUSION

Since patient-centered care and SDM have particular relevance in rare diseases in general, we believe our findings could be transferrable and applicable in the management of other rare diseases.

Long-term prophylaxis in hereditary angioedema management: Current practices in France and unmet needs

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by unpredictable and potentially life-threatening attacks of cutaneous and submucosal swelling. Over the past decade, new agents, based on a better understanding of the underlying biologic mechanisms of HAE, have changed the face of long-term prophylaxis (LTP). Objective: The objective was to describe current practices and unmet needs with regard to LTP for HAE in expert centers in France. Methods: The study was conducted in France in 2020. Based on their experience with patients with HAE who had visited their center at least once in the past 3 years, physicians from 25 centers who are expert in the management of HAE were requested to fill in a questionnaire that encapsulated their active patient list, criteria for prescribing LTP, and medications used. They were asked about potential unmet needs with currently available therapies. They were asked to express their expectations with regard to the future of HAE management. Results: Analysis was restricted to 20 centers that had an active patient file and agreed to participate. There were 714 patients with C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency, of whom 423 (59.2%) were treated with LTP. Altered quality of life triggered the decision to start LTP, as did the frequency and severity of attacks. Ongoing LTP included androgens (28.4%), progestins (25.8%), lanadelumab (25.3%), tranexamic acid (14.2%), intravenous C1-INHs (5.6%), and recombinant C1-INH (0.7%). Twenty-nine percent of the patents with LTP were considered to still have unmet needs. Physicians' concerns varied among therapies: poor tolerability for androgens and progestins, a lack of efficacy for tranexamic acid and progestins, dosage form, and high costs for C1-INHs and lanadelumab. Physicians' expectations encompassed more-efficacious and better-tolerated medications, easier treatment administration for the sake of improved quality of life of patients, and less-expensive therapies. Conclusion: Despite the recent enrichment of the therapeutic armamentarium for LTP, physicians still expressed unmet needs with currently available therapies.

The international WAO/EAACI guideline for the management of hereditary angioedema – The 2021 revision and update

Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) is a rare and disabling disease for which early diagnosis and effective therapy are critical. This revision and update of the global WAO/EAACI guideline on the diagnosis and management of HAE provides up-to-date guidance for the management of HAE. For this update and revision of the guideline, an international panel of experts reviewed the existing evidence, developed 28 recommendations, and established consensus by an online DELPHI process. The goal of these recommendations and guideline is to help physicians and their patients in making rational decisions in the management of HAE with deficient C1-inhibitor (type 1) and HAE with dysfunctional C1-inhibitor (type 2), by providing guidance on common and important clinical issues, such as: 1) How should HAE be diagnosed? 2) When should HAE patients receive prophylactic on top of on-demand treatment and what treatments should be used? 3) What are the goals of treatment? 4) Should HAE management be different for special HAE patient groups such as children or pregnant/breast feeding women? 5) How should HAE patients monitor their disease activity, impact, and control? It is also the intention of this guideline to help establish global standards for the management of HAE and to encourage and facilitate the use of recommended diagnostics and therapies for all patients.

The international WAO/EAACI guideline for the management of hereditary angioedema-The 2021 revision and update

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare and disabling disease for which early diagnosis and effective therapy are critical. This revision and update of the global WAO/EAACI guideline on the diagnosis and management of HAE provides up-to-date guidance for the management of HAE. For this update and revision of the guideline, an international panel of experts reviewed the existing evidence, developed 28 recommendations, and established consensus by an online DELPHI process. The goal of these recommendations and guideline is to help physicians and their patients in making rational decisions in the management of HAE with deficient C1 inhibitor (type 1) and HAE with dysfunctional C1 inhibitor (type 2), by providing guidance on common and important clinical issues, such as: (1) How should HAE be diagnosed? (2) When should HAE patients receive prophylactic on top of on-demand treatment and what treatments should be used? (3) What are the goals of treatment? (4) Should HAE management be different for special HAE patient groups such as children or pregnant/breast-feeding women? and (5) How should HAE patients monitor their disease activity, impact, and control? It is also the intention of this guideline to help establish global standards for the management of HAE and to encourage and facilitate the use of recommended diagnostics and therapies for all patients.