Since 1963 Hereditary AngioEdema (HAE) is considered an autosomal dominant disorder (Donaldson and Evans), characterized by a quantitative and/or qualitative deficit of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH), which affects approximately 1:50.000 individuals in the general population. From this period the link between HAE and psychiatry was interrupted, however genetic issues could not comprehensively explain the clinical evolution of the disease. Clinical studies show an evident gap between genotype and phenotype of HAE. For this still controversial question, we have designed this cross-sectional study in order to establish the relationship between HAE clinical manifestations and neurobiological/psychopatological parameters.

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of HAE

Exclusion Criteria:

• Current pharmacological treatment including ACE-inhibitors, ACE inhibitors, glucocorticoids, oestroprogestative, psychotropic drugs, drugs acting on the immune system (15 days before), anesthetics (in the previous three months).
• Inflammation / infection (eg, chronic inflammatory diseases, acute) in the last 15 days.
• Ongoing allergies.
• Night work over the past 15 days.
• Vigorous physical activity or alcohol consumption (the day before the assessment).
• Women in follicular phase of menstrual cycle.

This population-based cross-sectional study will include all Hereditary AngioEdema (HAE) patients from the Eastern Sicily HAE register.