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Clinical Manifestations of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome By Organ Systems

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Feb 4, 2019

Clinical Manifestations of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome By Organ Systems

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic multisystem illness of general themes of inflammation ± allergic-type phenomena ± abnormalities in growth/development in potentially any tissue. Mast cells produce and release, under a variety of circumstances, a very large number of potent molecular signals generically called mediators, and each mast cell mediator can bring about a wide variety of effects in a very wide variety of tissues, organs, and systems throughout the

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) Questions Answered: Ask the NY MCAS Expert

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Jun 21, 2018

Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) Questions Answered: Ask the NY MCAS Expert

I am currently on methotrexate, ketotifen, fexofenadine, and sodium crom but STILL reacting to food - what else is left to do? Fortunately, there is a great assortment of interventions which have been found helpful in various MCAS patients, but unfortunately, we cannot yet predict which interventions are most likely to benefit which MCAS patients. Therefore, patient, persistent, methodical “trial and error” is the only presently viable approach toward ultimately identifying

Ask the Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Doctors: MCAS Questions Answered

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Apr 12, 2018

Ask the Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Doctors: MCAS Questions Answered

Do you have any low salicylate suggestions? Salicylates are a (sub)class of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and NSAIDs, though helpful in some MCAS patients, actually trigger activation of dysfunctional mast cells in other MCAS patients. Salicylates are available not only as drugs and supplements but also are commonly incorporated into foods and household products. Just as with “low-histamine diets,” there are a number of suggestions freely available from di

Ask the NYC MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Jan 16, 2018

Ask the NYC MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Is there any correlation between MCAS and seizures or seizure like activity? If an EEG is done, should there be anything specific looked at in MCAS patient? I know of no studies identifying any findings on EEGs which are specific to patients with mast cell disease of any type. Also, though I don't know of any "correlation" between MCAS and seizure or seizure-like activity, both seizures and activities which are seizure-like but shown by EEG not to be true seizures (i.e., so

The Difference Between MCAD and MCAS

Ask The New York Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answe

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Jan 2, 2018

Ask The New York Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answe

What is recommended for frequent anaphylaxis if someone has Kounis syndrome and the person is having difficulty becoming stable? It is not presently possible to predict which medications will be most likely to help which symptoms in which mast cell patients. Antihistamines, steroids, and benzodiazepines can be helpful in some flares of mast cell activation. Epinephrine has helped some mast cell patients with Kounis syndrome (and also some with severe hypertension), but the

Ask The New York MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Dec 21, 2017

Ask The New York MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Do mast cells make you gain weight and have a huge stomach when you are eating almost nothing? I have seen MCAS drive weight gain in some patients, weight loss in other patients, and alternating weight gain and weight loss in yet other patients. Except for weight changes due to gain or loss of edema (swelling), we do not yet understand the molecular mechanisms underlying any of these frustrating phenomena. It should be noted, too, that many MCAS patients also suffer problem

Ask The NY MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Oct 16, 2017

Ask The NY MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Questions Answered

Is it possible to have a slightly elevated N-methylhistamine level if an individual’s dietary histamine level was extremely high without having MCAS? Simply having an elevated level of a mast cell mediator (whether N-methylhistamine or any other mast cell mediator) does not make for a diagnosis of MCAS and is not known to infer anything about whether a patient has MCAS. It must be kept in mind that mast cells *normally* activate in response to a wide variety of assaults

Ask The MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Oct 6, 2017

Ask The MCAS Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

What is the connection between mast cell disorders, celiac disease and immune deficiencies? Why are people often diagnosed with celiac- go gluten-free and then their mast cells go crazy? I've heard from many who had this experience- first diagnosed with celiac and then MCAS. Unfortunately, we don't know. In my opinion, we remain in the early days of learning the full range of problems mast cell disease can cause. It is likely that as time goes on and further research is cond

Ask The Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

Dr. Lawrence Afrin, Dr. Tania Dempsey

Sep 29, 2017

Ask The Expert: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

1. Can you discuss the co-existence of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Eosinophilic Esophagitis in so many patients? Eosinophilic esophagitis is sometimes suspected in patients whose true diagnosis turns out to be MCAS. I have also seen eosinophilic esophagitis in a small subpopulation of MCAS patients and suspect -- since the EoE can't possibly account for the full range and duration of all the symptoms and findings in those patients -- that the EoE in those patie