Living with hereditary angioedema (HAE) means dealing with unpredictable, painful swelling. When starting new medications like berotralstat, a plasma kallikrein inhibitor, the goal is to stop these attacks. But for some, the start of treatment can bring unexpected stomach discomfort.
A small group of 25 adolescents and adults across six Italian centers recently looked at a different approach. They tested taking probiotics alongside berotralstat during the early stages of treatment. The results showed that the average number of monthly HAE attacks dropped significantly, falling from 2.6 to just 0.8 attacks per month.
While the treatment worked well, it was not without some digestive hiccups. About 20% of the participants reported gastrointestinal complaints. Specifically, 12% experienced side effects while taking the probiotics, and two people had complaints after they stopped taking them. Importantly, no serious side effects were reported.
It is important to remember that these are preliminary findings from a pilot study. Because this was a small case series and not a large controlled trial, we need more research to know for sure how this approach works for everyone.