Acne, Pimples and Skin Disorders |
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Mastocytosis, Systemic Mastocytosis Symptoms and Treatment
Mastocytosis, pronounced as
mass-toe-sigh-toe-sis
is a common skin disease that is characterized by infiltration of mast cells into the tissues of the body. Mast cells are connective tissue cells which release chemicals including histamine that are very irritating and cause itching, swelling, and fluid leakage from cells. Mastocytosis can occur in people of any age. It's more serious in adults. It's usually mild in children, and they often outgrow it. This disease is a group of rare disorders of both children and adults caused by the presence of too many mast cells in a person's body.
Mastocytosis was originally described by E. Nettleship and W. Tay. Netleship and Tay described it as a "Rare form of Urticaria" in the British Medical Journal , 1869.
Mast cells are part of the immune defenses systems. They are also found around damages, and seem to play a role in healing of injuries.
The general form of mastocytosis is a disease of the skin. Rarely mastocytosis affects other parts of the body, like the intestines,stomach and the bone marrow. The presence of too many mast cells, or mastocytosis, can exist in two systems: cutaneous and systemic. The most common cutaneous (skin) form is also called urticaria pigmentosa, which occurs when mast cells infiltrate the skin. Systemic mastocytosis is caused by the accumulation of mast cells in the tissues and can affect organs such as the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and small intestine. This condition results because of too many mast cells in person's body.. Mastocytosis can occur in any age. It's more serious in adults and mild in children.
Symptoms of Mastocytosis
Symptoms may be triggered by cold or heat, certain medicines, emotional stress and insect bites. The triggers aren't the same in every person.
When too many mast cells exist in a person's body, the additional chemicals can cause bone pain, abdominal discomfort, nausea and vomiting, ulcers, diarrhea, skin lesions, and episodes of hypotension or anaphylaxis. The possible symptoms of mastocytosis are as:-
- The occurance of red and itchy rashes over the skin.
- You may have the pain over musculoskeletal.
- Hives
- Abdominal discomfort
- If there are many spots on the skin then it can cause flushing, irregular heart beat, tiredness and headaches. Diarrhoea and tummy pain are possible symptoms.
- Difficulty breathing
- Nausea and vomiting are common during mastocytosis.
- Skin lesions
Causes of Mastocytosis
The exact cause of mastocytosis are not known. Some of them are -
- Bone or muscle pain.
- Abdominal discomfort.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Stomach ulcers.
- Diarrhea.
- Skin lesions.
- Episodes of very low blood pressure and faintness.
- Age: cutaneous mastocytoses generally appears during infancy and early childhood. The risk of developing of the disease also increases during middle age.
- C-kit receptor mutation: The c-kit receptor is a type of protein generally found on the surface of some cells that binds to stem cell factor. A mutation of c-kit may cause some types of mastocytosis.
- In some cases of Mastocytosis, it can also be caused by genetic problem .
Treatment of Mastocytosis
- Doctors recommend medicines to treat mastocytosis which are antihistamines (to prevent the effect of mast cell histamine) and anticholinergics.
- Often no medication is needed. However, antihistamines (eg Zyrtec, Claratyne, Zantac) in tablet or syrup form, may be used to relieve symptoms. You can get these from your local chemist. Topical cortisone creams and wet wraps have also been used.
- The best treatment for mastocytosis may be to stay away from the things that seem to trigger your symptoms.
- Antihistamines that works against ulcers and proton pump inhibitors relieve ulcer-like symptoms and also help to treat itching and other skin complaints.
- Mast cell stabilizers help prevent mast cells from releasing their chemical contents.
- Corticosteroids can be used topically, inhaled, or systemically to reduce inflammation associated with mastocytosis.
- Two types of antihistamines treat severe flushing and low blood pressure before symptoms appear and epinephrine after symptoms begin .
- In children, a mastocytoma generaly disappears spontaneously. Itching due to urticaria pigmentosa may be treated with antihistamines.
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