10/19/07
SELECTED ARTICLES FROM THE RECENT LITERATURE 2007Anaphylaxis in Mastocytosis
Summary
It is well known that patients with mastocytosis experience episodes of anaphylaxis. The investigators wished to find out whether these events were related to atopy. They evaluated 210 adult and pediatric patients with mastocytosis for the incidence of allergy. The prevalence of atopy in this group was 23.9%. According to the authors, this was similar to the incidence in the general population. They did find that anaphylactic symptoms occurred more frequently in males with mastocytosis, and also in patients who had elevated IgE.The coexistence of atopy did not, in their series, influence mastocytosis associated symptoms. These results are consistent with the conclusion that anaphylactic episodes in mastocytosis patients are not as a rule due to IgE-mediated hypersensitivity.
Reference
Gonzalez de Olano D, et al. Prevalence of allergy and anaphylactic symptoms in 210 adult and pediatric patients with mastocytosis in Spain: a study of the Spanish network on mastocytosis (RENA). Clin and Ex p Allergy 2007; 37:1547-1555.
