Acquired angioedema and Helicobacter pylori infection in a child

Abstract

We describe a 10-year-old boy with acquired Helicobacter pylori infection and simultaneous angioedema which is a rare but life-threatening condition. Our patient was hospitalised with generalised angioedema and severe circulatory shock due to extreme loss of fluids and proteins into interstitial tissues (weight gain 10 kg within 2 days, extreme haemoconcentration – haemoglobin 206 g/l, haematocrit 0.570, leucocytosis 18,300 /µl, high lactate 13.8 mmol/l) and simultaneous failure of the complement system (C3 <0.16 g/l, C4 <0.13 g/l, CH50 45 U/ml, i.e. 50% of normal value, C1 inhibitor 0.21 g/l at the lower limit). All possible known causes of angioedema were excluded (infection, allergy, auto-immune disease, NSAIDs, lymphoproliferative disease) except for the simultaneous H. pylori infection which was proven serologically and histologically. Eradication therapy led to a complete remission of the H. pylori infection. An absence of angioedema and the restoration of the complement system was later observed. To the best of our knowledge, no similar case report of a child has yet been published. Conclusion: Helicobacter pylori infection should be considered in the development of angioedema in childhood.