Excellent News - Mast cell blockers may help many rosacea sufferers - Rosacea Knowledge Forum by Geoffrey Nase PhD

Dr. Geoffrey Nase · #1 (**permalink**) 9th June 2011, 05:49 AM

"Mast Cell Activation Syndrome" may lie at the core of some vascular rosacea sufferers: Excellent article by Dr. Hamilton and colleagues of Harvard

A new flushing and facial redness disorder has been identified in 2011 as "Mast Cell Activation Syndrome". This is not Mastocytosis, it does not involve an allergic response and it does not require mast cell bumps to show up on the skin.

It is simply a disorder where mast cells throughout the skin and GI tract are "leaky" and prone to release their many inflammatory substances. In the article below it tells patients what to look for and if the symptoms are present, mast cell blockers and mast cell membrane stabilizers may clear the condition... For anyone with these symptoms an Allergist or Endocrinologist are the specialists to see....

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2011 May 26.

Mast cell activation syndrome: A newly recognized disorder with systemic clinical manifestations.

Hamilton MJ, Hornick JL, Akin C, Castells MC, Greenberger NJ.
SourceDepartment of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic criteria for mast cell (MC) activation syndrome have been recently proposed, but clinical studies to validate these criteria are lacking.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the clinical manifestations of this newly recognized syndrome in a cohort of patients.

METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 18 patients seen at our institution with MC activation syndrome from 2006 to 2009. Patients enrolled had at least 4 of the signs and symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, flushing, dermatographism, memory and concentration difficulties, or headache. Response to treatment with anti-MC mediator medications was assessed based on established criteria. Laboratory tests indicating MC mediator release and histopathology and immunohistochemical studies on gastrointestinal biopsy samples were performed.

RESULTS: Ninety-four percent of the patients had abdominal pain, 89% had dermatographism, 89% had flushing, and 72% had the constellation of all 3 symptoms. Patients additionally had headache, diarrhea, and memory and concentration difficulties. All patients had at least 1 positive laboratory test result for an increased MC mediator level. On the basis of the response to treatment criteria, 67% of the patients in the cohort had either a complete or major regression in symptoms while taking medications targeting MC mediators. There was no significant difference in the numbers of intestinal mucosal MCs between our patients and healthy control subjects.

CONCLUSION: MC activation syndrome might be the underlying cause of unexplained flushing symptoms when several organ systems are involved, such as the gastrointestinal tract and the skin. It is especially important to be able to recognize the constellation of clinical features because response to anti-MC mediator medications is often excellent.

Debbie · #2 (**permalink**) 9th June 2011, 12:20 PM

Very interesting article and could have answers to some of my issues. Thank you for the post Dr Nase.

redder · #3 (**permalink**) 10th June 2011, 11:23 AM

Going to see if my Dr. can give me a referal to an Endcrinologist to try these blockers and stabilizers-stomach pain-red face flushing- right up my ally.

Dr. Geoffrey Nase · #4 (**permalink**) 11th July 2011, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redder

Going to see if my Dr. can give me a referal to an Endcrinologist to try these blockers and stabilizers-stomach pain-red face flushing- right up my ally.

There are several excellent Mast Cell Stabilizers out there right now. If you want to do some early research before you discuss this with your doctor, visit the National Mastocytosis Society. They are up to date on all the latest medications, effectiveness and side effects.

Good luck and please keep us posted because up to 30% of rosacea sufferers could be helped by mast cell stabilizers which are generally inert medications that should show an effect in under two weeks. Worth the trial for many.

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