loading page

COVID-19 and Hereditary Angioedema (HAE): Incidence, Outcomes and Mechanistic Implications
  • +2
  • Camila Lopes Veronez,
  • Sandra Christiansen,
  • Tukisa Smith,
  • Marc Riedl,
  • Bruce Zuraw
Camila Lopes Veronez
UC San Diego
Author Profile
Sandra Christiansen
UC San Diego
Author Profile
Tukisa Smith
UC San Diego
Author Profile
Marc Riedl
University of California San Diego
Author Profile
Bruce Zuraw
UC San Diego

Corresponding Author:bzuraw@ucsd.edu

Author Profile

Abstract

Background: HAE patients have been postulated to be at increased risk for COVID-19 infection due to inherent dysregulation of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system. Only limited data has been available to explore this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to assess the interrelationship(s) between COVID-19 and HAE. Methods: Self-reported COVID-19 infection, complications, morbidity and mortality were surveyed using an online questionnaire. Subjects included HAE with C1 inhibitor deficiency (HAE-C1INH), normal C1 inhibitor (HAE-nl-C1INH and household controls. The impact of HAE medications was examined. Results: 1445 participants completed the survey, including: 695 HAE-C1INH, 175 HAE-nl-C1INH, and 292 controls. The incidence of reported COVID-19 was not significantly different between controls (9%) and HAE-C1INH (11%) but was greater in HAE-nl-C1INH (19%, p=0.006). Obesity was positively correlated with COVID-19 across the overall population (16% vs 10%, p=0.012), with a similar but non-significant trend in HAE-C1INH (14% vs 9%). Co-morbid autoimmune disease was a risk factor for COVID-19 in HAE-C1INH (p = 0.047). COVID-19 severity and complications were similar in all groups. Reported COVID-19 was reduced in HAE-C1INH subjects receiving prophylactic subcutaneous C1INH (5.6%, p=0.0371) or on-demand icatibant (7.8%, p=0.0016). HAE-C1INH subjects not on any HAE medications had an increased risk of COVID-19 compared to normal controls (24.5%, p=0.006). Conclusions: HAE-C1INH subjects not taking HAE medications had an enhanced risk for COVID-19 infection. Subcutaneous C1INH and icatibant significantly reduced this risk. The results implicate roles for the complement cascade as well as non-contact system related kinin generating pathways in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 in HAE-C1INH.