Gastrointestinal involvement in systemic mastocytosis. Issue 2 (February 1976)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ammann, R W; Vetter, D; Deyhle, P; Tschen, H; Sulser, H; Schmid, M
• Is Part Of: Gut. Volume 17:Issue 2(1976)
• Page Start: 107
• Page End: 112
• Publication Date: 1976-02
• Subjects: Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; 616.33
• DOI: 10.1136/gut.17.2.107
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-5749

Abstract

Abstract : Four consecutive patients with systemic mastocytosis were studied. One patient had a malabsorption syndrome with only minor histological changes of the intestinal mucosa. Another patient with ulcer diathesis had a gastric secretory pattern resembling Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Serum gastrin and histamine levels were consistently normal in all patients. Endoscopy of stomach and colon disclosed urticaria-like papulae either spontaneously or after topical provocation in all patients. No increase of mast cells was found in multiple mucosal biopsies. A markedly increased gastric tissue content of histamine was found, however, in the three patients studied. The findings suggest that urticaria-like lesions associated with a high tissue content of histamine may be more important that hyperhistaminaemia in causing the various gastrointestinal symptoms.