40(th) EASD Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes : Munich, Germany, 5-9 September 2004

Recurrent episodes of skin angioedema and severe attacks of abdominal pain induced by oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy

Abstract Purpose Recurrent angioedema, characterized by skin swelling, colicky attacks of abdominal pain, and life-threatening laryngeal edema, can be either hereditary or acquired. According to anecdotal reports, it may be associated with use of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. We investigated potential interactions between these medications and various types of recurrent angioedema in a large cohort of women. Methods Women with recurrent angioedema (n = 516) underwent a thorough medical evaluation. They were then classified by type of angioedema, using standard criteria. Results Of the 516 women, 228 (44%) had used oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, in…