Edema of the uvula: Etiology,risk factors,diagnosis,and treatment

Edema of the uvula (eu) is a rare occurrence sometimes associated with angioedema,urticaria,and anaphylaxis. we analyze the causes,predisposing factors,and characteristics of eu in a group of 58 patients with a mean (sd) age of 48.2 (15.2) years over the course of a year. of the 58 patients studied,49 (84.5%) were male and 44 (75.9%) presented isolated eu. thirty-two patients (55.1%) with no clear etiology were classed as idiopathic. snoring and a high body mass index were more prevalent in these patients. a variety of probable causes were identified in 26 patients (44.9%). in this group,eu was usually accompanied by urticaria,angioedema,and anaphylaxis and there was also a greater prevalence of atopy. we found that eu was idiopathic in just over half of the patients studied and that the predisposing factors were being overweight and having a tendency to snore. patients with eu should be tested for allergies to drugs,airborne allergens,and food. © 2010 esmon publicidad.