Dental experience and self-perceived dental care needs of patients with angioedema

The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-perceived dental care needs and dental experiences of patients with angioedema. At the 1998 annual meeting of the Voluntary Association for the Fight, Study and Treatment of Hereditary Angioedema ("Associazione volontaria per la lotta, lo studio e la terapia dell'angioedema ereditario"), a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to participants affected by hereditary or acquired angioedema. Fifty-seven persons completed the questionnaire (37 females, 20 males; mean age, 39 +/- 17 yrs; range, 5-76). The vast majority (91%) had the hereditary form of the disease. One-third of the respondents had some problems in obtaining oral treatment, with one person having been refused care. About half of the group had experienced an acute attack following dental treatment. Preventive measures needed improvement in about two-thirds of respondents. More than half (58%) of the group perceived a need for dental care. We conclude that persons with angioedema may experience difficulty in obtaining dental treatment, a common cause of acute attacks.