[Paroxysmal non-hereditary angioedema]

Recurrent hypovolaemic shock had been occurring over the last five and four years, respectively, in a 53-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man who had previously been healthy. The attacks were characterized by a tension feeling and sometimes oedema in the limbs, as well as increased thirst. Within a few hours sweating, tachycardia, orthostatic complaints and shock would occur. The woman's systolic blood pressure would fall to 70 mm Hg and the pulse rate rise to 150/min. The man's blood pressure was not measurable by sphygmomanometer during his first attack. Haematocrit rose to 61 and 71.5%, haemoglobin concentration to 20.7 and 21.3 g/dl, respectively. On administration of plasma expanders all abnormal clinical and biochemical changes quickly disappeared, only to recur within weeks or months. The cause of the condition is an increased permeability of the tissue capillaries, while renal, pulmonary and cerebral vessels apparently are unaffected. During ketotifen and tebonin (gingko biloba extract) administration to the man, he required no further hospitalization for nine months, after which he had three severe attacks. The woman had a severe attack of hypovolaemic shock one month on this treatment. The prognosis of capillary leak syndrome is bad.