Therapy in hereditary angioneurotic oedema.

Two branches of a family suffering from hereditary angioneurotic oedema underwent trials of therapy of ε-amino caproic-acid (EACA) to ascertain the optimum dosage required to alleviate symptoms without giving rise to unpleasant side effects. It was found that children under 11 years tolerated 3 g/day and patients over 11 years 6 g/day without side effects, but with incomplete control of symptoms in some of the patients. However, if the dose was doubled for a period of less than 4 days during times of expected and experienced trauma, better control was achieved and unpleasant muscle cramps were not experienced. These doses, though effective, were much smaller than those used in previous studies.