In the Hungarian Angioedema Center of Reference and Excellence, along with providing high-level and specialised patient care, research is a priority. More than 500 scientific publications have been published, many of them in the framework of international research collaborations.
Our main area of interest is bradykinin-mediated angioedema, a type of rare diseases. These disorders are characterised by swelling episodes in different parts of the body and involving the larynx may lead to life-threatening conditions.
These types of angioedema also have a hereditary form (HAE). The center has the appropriate diagnostic background (complement and genetic laboratories) and provides complex care and specialised treatment for patients, taking into account international and national professional recommendation. The staff of the center has been actively involved in the development of these services (see details at https://semmelweis.hu/kutlab). Since it is still not known when an edematous episode occurs in the affected patients, on which part of the body, the aim of our research is exploring mainly the exact mechanism of the development of these pathologies by studying the cells involved in the process, the different enzyme cascade systems, and analysing the correlation between clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters. A patient registry and a biobank (DNA, plasma, serum) have been established for research.
The center is also involved in several multicentre clinical trials, contributing to the development of new targeted therapeutic options, and is the founder and organiser of the international conference series “C1-inhibitor Deficiency and Angioedema Workshop” (https://2023.haenetworkshop.hu), which has been held every two years since 1999. The conference, which presents primary research results, provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the latest findings and to establish further international professional collaborations.