Methyltestosterone Therapy in Hereditary Angioedema

Abstract

In a double-blind study of 4 patients with hereditary angioedema, the efficacy of methyltestosterone (taken daily in 10 mg linguet form) in preventing attacks was shown. There were 19 episodes during 11.8 mo. of placebo administration, compared with only 4 attacks during the 46 mo. of cumulative methyltestosterone treatment (P < 0.001). The mean serum C4 [4th component of complement] protein level was twice as high in all patients when they were taking the drug (176 .+-. 36 .mu.g/ml) as compared with the placebo (84 .+-. 21 .mu.g/ml), and rose to normal range in 3 of 4 patients.