Health-related quality of life and its risk factors in Chinese hereditary angioedema patients

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but serious condition characterized by unpredictable and recurrent attacks affecting the skin and mucosa. HAE has wide-ranging impacts on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients. This study aims to assess the HRQoL of Chinese patients with HAE using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36v2) and to explore potential risk factors for low HRQoL. METHODS: A total of 104 patients (47 male and 57 female) over age 18 living in China with a known diagnosis of HAE due to C1-INH deficiency completed the SF-36v2 (generic HRQoL questionnaire). The results were compared to Chinese population norms. Subgroup analysis and logistic regression were used to interpret the data. RESULTS: SF-36v2 showed a significant reduction in all dimensions of HRQoL (p < 0.001) in patients with HAE compared with the general Chinese population. Female patients reported significantly lower bodily pain (BP) (p = 0.039) and physical component scores (PCSs) (p = 0.027) than male patients. Patients with mucosal edema tended to report lower role-physical (RP) limitations (p = 0.031) than patients with only skin edema. There were no differences between the mean scores of the SF-36 in relation to disease subtype, age, disease severity and long-term prophylaxis. Among female patients on long-term prophylaxis, social functioning (SF) (r = − 0.404, p = 0.010), role-emotional (RE) (r = − 0.320, p = 0.044) and mental component scores (MCSs) (r = − 0.313, p = 0.049) were negatively correlated with danazol dosage. A correlation between decreased disease control and decreased HRQoL scores was found, although the correlation was not significant in terms of RE or mental health (MH) scores. The logistic regression model revealed uncontrolled disease to be a risk factor for a low PCS (odds ratio 10.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78–65.06; p = 0.010) and laryngeal edema to be a risk factor for a low MCS (odds ratio 4.75, 95% CI 1.09–20.69; p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese HAE patients reported significantly lower HRQoL scores than the general population. Unsatisfactory disease control is a risk factor for decreased PCSs. Laryngeal edema is a risk factor for decreased MCSs. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13023-019-1159-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.