Meeting reports
6th HAExpert Annual Meeting
The 6th HAExpert Meeting was held in Berlin, Germany on 21st and 22nd March 2019. The meeting was chaired by Prof Marcus Maurer and Prof Markus Magerl of the Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin. There were 17 faculty including a patient with HAE who was invited by Prof Maurer to share her valuable experience.
The objectives of the meeting were:
- To increase knowledge in the diagnosis and management of HAE
- To create an opportunity to exchange experience with practitioners from different countries
- To provide the opportunity to meet experts with a long experience in treating HAE
- To explore the patient experience of HAE
In total, 73 participants attended from 24 countries. As well as those from Europe and Russia, participants from South America were invited for the first time. In addition, world-renowned authority Professor Allen Kaplan from the USA delivered a guest lecture, describing his experience of 50 years working in the field of HAE. 
Day one of the meeting focused on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of HAE, including tailored treatment and measurement of disease activity/control.
Day two consisted of presentations in the morning focused on special patient populations, followed by interactive workshops in the afternoon. Three workshops were conducted in parallel covering three topics; concomitant diseases, medication and HAE; lifestyle choices and HAE; talking with patients – tips and tricks. The attendees were divided into three groups to participate in each workshop on a rotational basis.
Day 1
- Understanding HAE: Pathophysiology and HAE types
Prof Anette Bygum - HAE and the complement system
Prof Hilary Longhurst - Diagnosing HAE: Challenges and solutions
Dr Avner Reshef - Understanding HAE: Measuring the burden of disease
Ass Prof Karsten Weller - Tailored treatment: Current options
Prof Werner Aberer - Optimising treatment: The role of self-administration
Dr Andrea Zanichelli
Day 2
- Management of HAE in women and pregnancy
Dr Teresa Caballero - HAE patients with normal C1-INH
Prof Konrad Bork - The paediatric HAE patient
Dr Christina Weber
Workshops:
- Concomitant diseases, medication and HAE
Prof Henriette Farkas and Dr Kinga Köhalmi - Lifestyle choices and HAE
Prof Markus Magerl and Dr Vasiliki Zampeli - Talking with patients – tips and tricks
Prof Marcus Maurer and Dr Thomas Buttgereit
Closing the meeting, the Co-Chairs emphasised the importance of the HAExpert Meeting in bringing together physicians from across the world to share their knowledge of HAE, and sounded a call to action for the next generation of HAE experts.
The format for each workshop was slightly different but designed to maximise interactivity and participant engagement. The facilitators used a variety of tools including videos, case reports, and group discussion to ensure lively and informative sessions for the participants.