{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T12:01:13Z","timestamp":1772020873593,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1771977600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Immunol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, potentially life-threatening disorder characterised by recurrent episodes of localised oedema caused by bradykinin overproduction. Accurate epidemiological data are essential for optimising diagnosis and treatment, particularly in underrepresented regions such as the Baltic states. This study aimed to examine the prevalence, clinical characteristics, genetic variants, and treatment accessibility for patients with HAE in the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This retrospective study included HAE patients diagnosed according to the WAO\/EAACI 2021 criteria between 2004 and 2024. Demographic, clinical, and genetic data were collected and evaluated. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi (version 2.3).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      A total of 78 patients were identified in Estonia (n=30), Latvia (n=12) and Lithuania (n=36) from 2004 till 2024. In Lithuania, 7 patients had died and 3 were lost to follow-up, resulting in 26 patients remaining under active observation. While the total number of HAE cases identified across the three countries was reported, detailed clinical data and analyses were limited to the 68 patients who were alive and actively followed at the time of data collection. Estonia exhibited the highest point prevalence (2.19 per 100, 000), while Latvia had the lowest (0.65). The median diagnostic delay was longest in Latvia (24 years) and shortest in Estonia (9.5 years).\n                      <jats:italic>SERPING1<\/jats:italic>\n                      gene pathogenic variants predominated. Estonia had the broadest availability of treatments, whereas Latvia had restricted access to modern therapies.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Considerable variation exists in HAE prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment across the Baltic states. Estonia exemplifies best practices, while Latvia remains underserved. Regional collaboration and standardised care protocols are urgently needed.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fimmu.2026.1696479","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T11:03:16Z","timestamp":1772017396000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of hereditary angioedema in the Baltic states"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Natalja","family":"Kurjane","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Microbiology, Institute of Oncology and Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradi\u0146\u0161 University","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Center for Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Pauls Stradi\u0146\u0161 Clinical University Hospital","place":["Riga, Latvia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Adine","family":"Kanepa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Microbiology, Institute of Oncology and Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradi\u0146\u0161 University","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Center for Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Pauls Stradi\u0146\u0161 Clinical University Hospital","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Allergic Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Centre","place":["Riga, Latvia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Signe","family":"Purina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Microbiology, Institute of Oncology and Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradi\u0146\u0161 University","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Allergic Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Centre","place":["Riga, Latvia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Lasma","family":"Lapina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biology and Microbiology, Institute of Oncology and Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradi\u0146\u0161 University","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Center for Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Pauls Stradi\u0146\u0161 Clinical University Hospital","place":["Riga, Latvia"]},{"name":"Allergic Diseases Diagnosis and Treatment Centre","place":["Riga, Latvia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Krista","family":"Ress","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre of Allergology and Immunology, East Tallinn Central Hospital","place":["Tallinn, Estonia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marget","family":"Savisaar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Lung Clinic, Tartu University Hospital","place":["Tartu, Estonia"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Edita","family":"Gasiuniene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Immunology and Allergology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences","place":["Kaunas, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ieva","family":"Bajoriuniene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Immunology and Allergology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences","place":["Kaunas, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kotryna","family":"Linauskiene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Vilnius University","place":["Vilnius, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anzelika","family":"Chomiciene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Vilnius University","place":["Vilnius, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Brigita","family":"Gradauskiene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Immunology and Allergology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences","place":["Kaunas, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Malinauskiene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Chest Diseases, Immunology and Allergology, Vilnius University","place":["Vilnius, Lithuania"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1160\/TH12-08-0549","article-title":"Hereditary angioedema: A bradykinin-mediated swelling 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