title: Baseline serum levels of mast cell tryptase are raised in hemodialysis patients and associated with severity of pruritus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathogenesis of pruritus in renal disease is not yet understood. Evidence suggests that mast cells play a role; for example, the number of dermal mast cells is increased in patients on hemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate a possible role of mast cell tryptase in pruritus of patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis, serum mast cell tryptase concentrations were measured in blood samples taken from 93 such patients, 53 of whom also recorded the severity of their pruritus on a visual analogue scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum mast cell tryptase levels were above 11.4 microg/l (95th percentile) in 84 of 93 hemodialysis patients (90.3 %). The intensity of pruritus correlated significantly (p = 0.014) with the tryptase levels, an associated not yet shown for other mast cell-related parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mast cells or even tryptase itself may be involved in the pathogenesis of pruritus of hemodialysis patients.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany. Susanne.Breit@gmx.de
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dugas-Breit
authors.forename: Pia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schöpf
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dugas
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schiffl
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruëff
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Przybilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000201:enzymology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011537:Pruritus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood*; D053802:Tryptases
chemical_list: D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases