Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Drug Treatment by Central Venous Catheter in a Mouse Model of Angiotensin II Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Monitoring by 3D Ultrasound
Published on: August 4, 2022
The effect of long-term danazol treatment on haematological parameters in hereditary angioedema
Kinga Viktória Kőhalmi1, Nóra Veszeli2, Zsuzsanna Zotter3,4
1Hungarian Angioedema Centre, 3rd Department of Internal Medicine, Semmelweis University, Kútvölgyi street 4, H-1125, Budapest, Hungary. kinga.viktoria.kohalmi@gmail.com.
Background:
The 17-alpha-alkylated derivatives of testosterone are often used for the prevention of oedematous episodes in hereditary angioedema with C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE). However, these agents can have many adverse effects, including erythrocytosis and polyglobulia. Our aim was to investigate occurrence of erythrocytosis and polyglobulia after long-term danazol prophylaxis in C1-INH-HAE.
Methods:
During the initial stage of our retrospective study, we explored whether C1-INH-HAE is associated with susceptibility to erythrocytosis and/or polyglobulia. In the second stage, we analyzed the haematological parameters of 39 C1-INH-HAE patients before, as well as after treatment with danazol for 1, 3, or 5 years. In the third stage, we studied the incidence of erythrocytosis and of polyglobulia after dosing with danazol for more than 5 years.
Results:
We did not find any significant difference between C1-INH-HAE patients not receiving danazol and healthy controls as regards the occurrence of erythrocytosis or polyglobulia. The haematological parameters did not change after treatment with danazol for 1, 3, or 5 years. Platelet count was an exception-it decreased significantly (p = 0.0115) versus baseline, but within the reference range. Treatment-related polyglobulia did not occur. We observed erythrocytosis in a single female patient after 1-year-and in three female patients after more than 5-year long-treatment with danazol. Erythrocytosis did not require intervention or the discontinuation of danazol therapy.
Conclusions:
We conclude that neither erythrocytosis, nor polyglobulia occurs more often in C1-INH-HAE patients than in healthy individuals; it can be observed only sporadically even after treatment with danazol.
