Life Threatening Idiopathic Recurrent Angioedema Responding to Cannabis
We present a case of a 27-year-old man with recurrent episodes of angioedema since he was 19, who responded well to treatment with medical grade cannabis. Initially, he responded to steroids and antihistam...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2015-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Immunology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/780824 |
| Summary: | We present a case of
a 27-year-old man with recurrent episodes of
angioedema since he was 19, who responded well
to treatment with medical grade cannabis.
Initially, he responded to steroids and
antihistamines, but several attempts to withdraw
treatment resulted in recurrence. In the last
few months before prescribing cannabis, the
frequency and severity of the attacks worsened
and included several presyncope events,
associated with scrotal and neck swelling. No
predisposing factors were identified, and
extensive workup was negative. The patient
reported that he was periodically using cannabis
socially and that during these periods he was
free of attacks. Recent data suggest that
cannabis derivatives are involved in the control
of mast cell activation. Consequently, we
decided to try a course of inhaled cannabis as
modulators of immune cell functions. The use of
inhaled cannabis resulted in a complete
response, and he has been free of symptoms for 2
years. An attempt to withhold the inhaled
cannabis led to a recurrent attack within a
week, and resuming cannabis maintained the
remission, suggesting a cause and effect
relationship. |
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| ISSN: | 2090-6609 2090-6617 |