Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunologyhas published its first thematic series, reviewing the current consensus on the treatment of the potentially fatal condition,hereditary angioedema.

Hereditary angioedema is a rare genetic disease that causes the rapid swelling of the limbs, face, intestinal tract, larynx or trachaea. The disease, which affects 1 in 50,000 people globally, is caused when a protein calledC1 inhibitor is either deficient or non-functional. The symptoms of the disease cannot be controlled by conventional treatment with antihistamines or corticosteroids, and can lead to sudden death. The thematic series reviews the current international approach to the diagnosis, treatment and management of the disease. This includes investigating the management of the disease inchildren, which represents 50 % of clinical cases, and inwomen, who are more susceptible to the symptoms because of hormonal factors. The series also incorporates a comprehensive review ofpast, current and potential therapiesfor the disease.

The articles in the series were presented at the Toronto Consensus meeting organized by theCanadian Hereditary Angioedema Network,Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunologyand the University of Calgary. Afinal consensusdocument outlining the current global guidelines for the management of hereditary angioedema was agreed and authored by scientists who attended the meeting in Toronto.