Patient Satisfaction and Convenience Increased with Current Hereditary Angioedema Treatment Options, According to Study Findings

SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Findings announced by CSL Behring today show that current hereditary angioedema (HAE) treatment options, such as C1 Esterase Inhibitor (C1-INH) concentrate, are allowing for greater patient satisfaction, higher rates of home treatment and a decrease in the number of hospitalizations and visits to the emergency room. HAE is a rare, potentially fatal swelling disorder caused by a deficiency of C1-INH. Until recently, only limited therapeutic options were available for patients in the U.S. with the condition. Today, HAE patients can choose from multiple options to address their condition. The 46-question online survey of physicians, which was conducted between March and June 2013, closely patterned after an initial survey conducted between October 2009 and February 2010. The data were presented at the 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting.

"The previously conducted survey revealed wide variability in HAE management, leaving questions about the impact of newer treatment options and changes in HAE care," said Marc A. Riedl, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine and Section Head of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and one of the study's investigators. "As our results have shown, current treatment practices now align more closely with current HAE treatment guidelines, with patients demonstrating an increase in satisfaction and physicians noticing improved patient outcomes."

Current HAE guidelines from the World Allergy Organization recommend that all acute attacks be considered for on-demand treatment, and that such treatment be mandatory for attacks affecting upper airways. The guidelines further state that on-demand treatment be given as early in the attack as possible. According to study findings, there was a three-fold increase in the percentage of attacks self-treated at home (8 percent to 27 percent; P<0.00005). Additionally, the study found convenience was reported more frequently as an important treatment decision driver for patients (27 percent versus 10 percent; P<0.00005). Based on these treatment strategies, the percentage of patients perceived by physicians to be very satisfied with HAE treatment increased from 13 percent to 40 percent (P<0.00005).

Additional findings note that preferences toward danazol, an often-used steroid treatment, have decreased from 56 percent to 23 percent (P<0.00005). Decreases were also observed in HAE attack-related emergency room visits (62 percent to 54 percent; P=NS) and hospitalizations (13 percent to 3 percent; P=0.0001).

About Hereditary Angioedema
HAE is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of C1 Esterase Inhibitor. It is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Symptoms of HAE include episodes of edema – or swelling – in the face, abdomen, larynx and extremities. Patients who have abdominal attacks of HAE can experience episodes of extreme pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting caused by swelling of the intestinal wall. HAE attacks that involve the face or throat can result in airway closure, asphyxiation and, if untreated, death. Diagnosis of HAE requires a blood test to confirm low or abnormal levels of C1 Esterase Inhibitor.

About CSL Behring 
CSL Behring is a leader in the plasma protein therapeutics industry. Committed to saving lives and improving the quality of life for people with rare and serious diseases, the company manufactures and markets a range of plasma-derived and recombinant therapies worldwide.

CSL Behring therapies are used around the world to treat coagulation disorders including hemophilia and von Willebrand disease, primary immune deficiencies, hereditary angioedema and inherited respiratory disease, and neurological disorders in certain markets. The company's products are also used in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation, burn treatment and to prevent hemolytic diseases in the newborn. CSL Behring is a subsidiary of CSL Limited, a biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, visit www.cslbehring.com. CSL Behring operates one of the world's largest plasma collection networks, CSL Plasma.

Contact:
Sheila A. Burke
Director, Communications & Public Relations
Worldwide Commercial Operations
CSL Behring
O: 610-878-4209
[email protected]

SOURCE CSL Behring