Baseline serum levels of mast cell tryptase are raised in hemodialysis patients and associated with severity of pruritus.
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.
Dugas-Breit
Susanne
S
Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie und Allergologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Germany. Susanne.Breit@gmx.de
Schöpf
Pia
P
Dugas
Martin
M
Schiffl
Helmut
H
Ruëff
Franziska
F
Przybilla
Bernhard
B
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
D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D053802:Tryptases