Classification et diagnostic biologique des angioedèmes

The angioedema disease represents a situation associated with production or accumulation of kinins at the endothelial cell surface. A classification of the different forms of the disease can be proposed upon the bases of the metabolic failure, either from the increased proteolytic activities towards kininogens (decreased control by C1 Inhibitor, escape to this control) or from the kinin accumulation associated with the decreased catabolism. The diagnostic must describe the failure of the C1 Inhibitor control, the gain of function of the kinin-producing kininogenases or the decreased activities of the proteases needed for kinin catabolism (kininases).