Tryptase serum level as a possible indicator of scombroid syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Scombroid syndrome (histamine fish poisoning--HFP) is a complex of symptoms caused by biogenic amines, mainly histamine, contained in seafood. The diagnosis of HFP is quite difficult as the symptoms of this particular condition are similar to the symptoms of a normal allergic syndrome.


METHODS
We have collected 10 cases (3 male and 7 female) of HFP and 50 non-HFP patients (35 female and 15 male) with allergic disorders, all from the Emergency Department of Ospedale Civile Maggiore in Verona.


RESULTS
As expected, tryptase serum concentrations of most of the patients with allergic or anaphylactic disorders were increased above normal value (24.4+/-8.0 ng/mL mean+/-SD, normal value<11 ng/mL), whereas the tryptase serum concentrations of all the 10 patients with HFP were within the normal range (8.1+/-1.8 ng/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that tryptase serum concentrations can discriminate between the allergic and HFP syndromes. As the tryptase half-life is 90-120 min, blood samples must be taken 1-2 h from the beginning of symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Finding a biomarker could help physicians to formulate a correct diagnosis and thus in choosing the best therapeutic strategy. In this work, we analyzed the role of tryptase serum concentrations to differentiate real allergic syndromes from the HFP syndrome, which causes similar histamine-mediated effects by a different mechanism.
Toxicology Unit, Emergency Department, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Verona, Italy. toxclin@hotmail.com
Giorgio
G
Ricci
Massimo
M
Zannoni
Davide
D
Cigolini
Costantino
C
Caroselli
Rosalia
R
Codogni
Beatrice
B
Caruso
Elisa
E
Bonello
Giampaolo P
GP
Rocca
D000328:Adult; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000506:poisoning*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006632:Histamine / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017747:Seafood / Q000506:poisoning*; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D053802:Tryptases / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D001679:Biogenic Amines; D015415:Biomarkers; D006632:Histamine; D053802:Tryptases