Urine-histamine levels in patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE)

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is defined clinically by recurrent, self-limited episodes of angioedema. The disease is defined biochemically by a deficiency in the functional activity of C1 esterase inhibitor. To date, the actual serum or tissue mediator(s) responsible for the angioedematous lesion remains controversial. Although antihistaminics have been clearly demonstrated to have no efficacy in the long-term treatment of this disorder, instances of elevated urine-histamine levels in patients with HAE raises the possibility of a role for histamine in the pathophysiology of this disease. Urine samples were collected from 28 asymptomatic and from 11 symptomatic patients with HAE. The urine-histamine levels were compared with levels of 41 normal control subjects. With the exception of one asymptomatic patient with HAE whose diagnoses also included rheumatoid arthritis and secondary Sjögren's syndrome, the urine-histamine levels from asymptomatic patients with HAE were similar to values obtained from normal control subjects. Except for data from two patients with HAE, urine-histamine levels from symptomatic patients with HAE were also indistinguishable from levels of normal volunteers. These data suggest that the vast majority of patients with HAE have normal urine-histamine levels both during and between attacks. Consequently, histamine is unlikely to play a pathophysiologic role in HAE.