Acupuncuture Treatment in a Case of Episodic Angioedema with Eosinophilia
10.3937/kampomed.56.445
- VernacularTitle:そうよう感の軽減にはり治療が有効であった好酸球性血管性浮腫の１症例
- Author:
Jun MATSUMOTO
;
Masato EGAWA
;
Wakako FUKUI
;
Yoshiharu YMAMURA
;
Tadashi YANO
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
acupuncture;
episodic angioedema with eosinophilia;
itching;
eosinophilia
- From:Kampo Medicine
2005;56(3):445-452
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Episodic angioedema with eosinophilia (EAE) is an idiopathic condition characterized by recurrent symptoms such as angioedema, urticaria, and eosinophilia. We report a case of a 25-year-old woman with the non-episodic variant of this condition (NEAE) who was treated with acupuncture.
The patient presented with a two-week history of generalized itching and angioedema. Erythema, bilateral limb edema, and swelling and pain of both wrists and ankles were noted. As antiallergic medication administered for several days was ineffective, she was admitted to our hospital. Hematologic investigations revealed a white blood cell count of 11850/mm3 with 64.2% eosinophils (7610/mm3). Histopathologic examination of a cutaneous biopsy specimen indicated an eosinophilic infiltration localized around blood vessels in the superficial dermal layers. NEAE was diagnosed on the basis of these findings. Acupuncture treatment was performed according to Traditional Chinese Medical theory. Itching was alleviated following acupuncture treatments and relapsed on days when acupuncture was not administered. However, edema and itching gradually diminished between acupuncture treatments, in parallel with resolution of the peripheral eosinophilia. In this case, acupuncture treatment was effective for alleviating itching in NEAE.
