Serum concentrations of mast cell tryptase are reduced in heavy drinkers
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Baseline serum tryptase concentrations are commonly used in clinical practice as a marker of the body's mast cell burden. This study aimed to investigate serum tryptase concentrations in heavy drinkers. METHODS: Serum tryptase concentrations were determined in 126 heavy drinkers (75% males, median age 47 years) who were admitted to the hospital because of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (n = 60), general symptoms with abnormalities on biochemical tests that indicated acute liver disease (n = 19), complications of advanced liver disease (n = 33), and miscellaneous reasons (n = 14). Results were compared with those of 70 healthy controls (66% males, median age 40 years). RESULTS: Serum tryptase concentrations were lower in heavy drinkers than in healthy controls (median 2.23 μg/l vs. median 3.25 μg/l, p < 0.001). Ten heavy drinkers (7.9%) had undetectable (<1 μg/l) serum tryptase levels versus none of the healthy controls (p = 0.01). The association of low tryptase levels with heavy drinking was independent of age, gender, and smoking status. Among heavy drinkers, the lowest tryptase concentrations were observed in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome and patients with general symptoms with abnormalities on biochemical tests that indicated acute liver disease. Furthermore, serum tryptase concentrations were negatively correlated with markers of acute liver damage or alcohol consumption (serum aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase). Atopy (skin prick test positivity) was not associated with serum tryptase concentrations in heavy drinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Serum concentrations of mast cell tryptase are lower in heavy drinkers than in healthy controls.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Alcohol consumption or tobacco smoking can decrease or elevate baseline serum tryptase, respectively.
“Even alcohol consumption [80] or tobacco smoking [81] can decrease or elevate bST, respectively.”
From Diagnostic Significance of Tryptase for Suspected Mast Cell Disorders (2023) · cites this paper as [80]
Cites
Mast cell secretory granules: armed for battle
Wernersson, S., & Pejler, G. (2014) · Nature reviews. Immunology · doi:10.1038/nri3690 · Cited by 968 · see citing works
Valent, P., Akin, C., Arock, M., Brockow, K., Butterfield, J. H., Carter, M. C., Castells, M., Escribano, L., Hartmann, K., Lieberman, P., et al. (2012) · International Archives of Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1159/000328760 · Cited by 654 · see citing works
Diagnostic Value of Tryptase in Anaphylaxis and Mastocytosis
Schwartz, L. B. (2006) · Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/j.iac.2006.05.010 · Cited by 477 · see citing works
CONSEQUENCES OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION ON HOST DEFENCE
Szabó, G. (1999) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/34.6.830 · Cited by 449 · see citing works
Protective and pathological roles of mast cells and basophils
Voehringer, D. (2013) · Nature reviews. Immunology · doi:10.1038/nri3427 · Cited by 409 · see citing works
Bonadonna, P., Perbellini, O., Passalacqua, G., Caruso, B., Colarossi, S., Dal Fior, D., Castellani, L., Bonetto, C., Frattini, F., Dama, A., et al. (2009) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2008.11.018 · Cited by 392 · see citing works
Evaluation of human peripheral blood leukocytes for mast cell tryptase
Castells, M. C., Irani, A. M., & Schwartz, L. B. (1987) · The Journal of Immunology · doi:10.4049/jimmunol.138.7.2184 · Cited by 278 · see citing works
Ferrier, L., Bérard, F., Debrauwer, L., Chabo, C., Langella, P., Bueno, L. P., & Fioramonti, J. (2006) · American Journal Of Pathology · doi:10.2353/ajpath.2006.050617 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
Innate Immunity and Its Regulation by Mast Cells
St. John, A. L., & Abraham, S. N. (2013) · The Journal of Immunology · doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1203420 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
The Role of Mast Cells in the Defence against Pathogens
Urb, M., & Sheppard, D. C. (2012) · PLoS Pathogens · doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1002619 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Marshall, J. S., & Jawdat, D. M. (2004) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2004.04.045 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Mastocytosis: current concepts in diagnosis and treatment
Escribano, L., Akin, C., Castells, M., Orfao, A., & Metcalfe, D. D. (2002) · Annals of Hematology · doi:10.1007/s00277-002-0575-z · Cited by 201 · see citing works
Human mast cell tryptase in biology and medicine
Vitte, J. (2015) · Molecular Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.molimm.2014.04.001 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Mastocytosis: Mediator-Related Signs and Symptoms
Castells, M., & Austen, K. F. (2002) · International Archives of Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1159/000048188 · Cited by 133 · see citing works
Mast cell activation syndrome: A newly recognized disorder with systemic clinical manifestations
Hamilton, M. J., Hornick, J. L., Akin, C., Castells, M. C., & Greenberger, N. J. (2011) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2011.04.037 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Intrahepatic mast cells in chronic liver diseases*1
FARRELL, D. (1995) · Hepatology · doi:10.1016/0270-9139(95)90627-4 · Cited by 121 · see citing works
Does the concept of a standard drink apply to viticultural societies?
Gual, A., Martos, A., Lligoña, A., & Llopis, J. J. (1999) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/34.2.153 · Cited by 110 · see citing works
Liver Disease in Heavy Drinkers With and Without Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
Barrio, E., Tomé, S., Rodríguez, I., Gudé, F., Sánchez-Leira, J., Pérez-Becerra, E., & González‐Quintela, A. (2004) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1097/01.alc.0000106301.39746.eb · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Schäfer, C. (2002) · Alcohol and Alcoholism · doi:10.1093/alcalc/37.1.81 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
González‐Quintela, A., Vidal, C., & Gudé, F. (2004) · Addiction Biology · doi:10.1080/13556210412331292235 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Factors influencing serum total tryptase concentrations in a general adult population
González‐Quintela, A., Vizcaíno, L., Gudé, F., Rey, J., Meijide, L. M., Fernández‐Merino, C., Linneberg, A. R., & Vidal, C. (2010) · Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) · doi:10.1515/cclm.2010.124 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Basal serum tryptase level correlates with severity of hymenoptera sting and age.
Kucharewicz, I., Bodzenta‐Łukaszyk, A., Szymanski, W., Mroczko, B., & Szmitkowski, M. (2007) · PubMed · Cited by 75 · see citing works
Characterization of mast-cell tryptase-expressing peripheral blood cells as basophils
Foster, B. A., Schwartz, L. B., Devouassoux, G., Metcalfe, D. D., & Prussin, C. (2002) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.1067/mai.2002.121454 · Cited by 74 · see citing works
Serum tryptase levels and markers of renal dysfunction in a population with chronic kidney disease
Sirvent, A. E., González, C., Enríquez, R., Fernández, J., Millán, I., Barber, X., & Amorós, F. (2010) · Journal of Nephrology · doi:10.1093/joneph/23.3.282 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Epigenetic targets for reversing immune defects caused by alcohol exposure
Curtis, B. J. (2013) · Alcohol research · doi:10.35946/arcr.v35.1.11 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Total serum tryptase levels are higher in young infants
Belhocine, W., Zouher, I., Grandné, V., Buffat, C., Robert, P., Gras, D., Cleach, I., Bongrand, P., Carayon, P., & Vitte, J. (2011) · Pediatric Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1111/j.1399-3038.2011.01166.x · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Prevalence of self‐reported hypersensitivity symptoms following intake of alcoholic drinks
Linneberg, A. R., Berg, N. D., González‐Quintela, A., Vidal, C., & Elberling, J. (2007) · Clinical & Experimental Allergy · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2007.02837.x · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Fenger, R. V., Linneberg, A. R., Vidal, C., Vizcaíno, L., Husemoen, L. L. N., Aadahl, M., & González‐Quintela, A. (2011) · International Archives of Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1159/000327535 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
Vlieg‐Boerstra, B., der Heide, S. V., Elberink, J. N. G. O., Kluin‐Nelemans, H. C., & Dubois, A. E. J. (2005) · PubMed · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Sensitization to cross‐reactive carbohydrate determinants in relation to alcohol consumption
González-Quintela, A., Garrido, M., Gude, F., Campos, J., Linneberg, A., Lojo, S., & Vidal, C. (2007) · Clinical and Experimental Allergy · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2007.02863.x · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Franco, J. C., González‐Quintela, A., Quinteiro, C., Gudé, F., Perez, L., Torre, J., & Vidal, C. (2005) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1097/01.alc.0000171977.25531.7a · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Acetaldehyde Induces Histamine Release from Human Airway Mast Cells to Cause Bronchoconstriction
Kawano, T., Matsuse, H., Kondo, Y., Machida, I., Saeki, S., Tomari, S., Mitsuta, K., Obase, Y., Fukushima, C., Shimoda, T., et al. (2004) · International Archives of Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1159/000078771 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Wimberly, A. L., Forsyth, C. B., Khan, M. W., Pemberton, A. D., Khazaie, K., & Keshavarzian, A. (2013) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01894.x · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Serum tryptase levels in atopic and nonatopic children
Komarow, H. D., Hu, Z., Brittain, E., Uzzaman, A., Gaskins, D., & Metcalfe, D. D. (2009) · Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2009.06.040 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Mast cell subpopulations in chronic inflammatory hepatobiliary diseases
Matsunaga, Y., & Terada, T. (2000) · Liver International · doi:10.1034/j.1600-0676.2000.020002152.x · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Acetaldehyde induces histamine release from purified rat peritoneal mast cells
Koivisto, T., Kaihovaara, P. S., & Salaspuro, M. P. (1998) · Life Sciences · doi:10.1016/s0024-3205(98)00550-5 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Schliemann, S., Seyfarth, F., Hipler, U. ‐., & Elsner, P. U. (2012) · Acta Dermato Venereologica · doi:10.2340/00015555-1245 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Mast Cells and Ethanol Consumption: Interactions in the Prostate, Epididymis and Testis of UChB Rats
Mendes, L. D. O., Amorim, J. P. D. A., Teixeira, G. R., Chuffa, L. G. D. A., Fioruci, B. A., Pimentel, T. A., Júnior, W. D. M., Padovani, C. R., Pereira, S., Martinez, M., et al. (2011) · American Journal of Reproductive Immunology · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0897.2010.00958.x · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Sargur, R. B., Cowley, D., Murng, S. H. K., Wild, G., Green, K., Shrimpton, A., & Egner, W. (2011) · Clinical & Experimental Immunology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2010.04287.x · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Mast Cells as Critical Effectors of Host Immune Defense against Gram-negative Bacteria
Matsuguchi, T. (2012) · Current Medicinal Chemistry · doi:10.2174/092986712799828319 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Ethanol induces apoptosis in human mast cells
Nurmi, K., Methuen, T., Mäki, T., Lindstedt, K. A., Kovanen, P. T., Sandler, C., & Eklund, K. K. (2009) · Life Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2009.09.004 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Franco, J. C., Gudé, F., Quinteiro, C., Vidal, C., & González‐Quintela, A. (2006) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00007.x · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Tryptase is not cleared by the kidneys into the urine
Simon, M. R., Jan, M., Yee, J., Nori, U. S., Hu, J., Akin, C., & Schwartz, L. B. (2010) · International Archives of Allergy and Immunology · doi:10.1159/000260080 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Acute Oral Ethanol Exposure Triggers Asthma In Cockroach Allergen–Sensitized Mice
Bouchard, J., Kim, J., Beal, D. R., Vaickus, L. J., Craciun, F. L., & Remick, D. G. (2012) · American Journal Of Pathology · doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.05.020 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Ruiz, C. M., & Gomes, J. C. (2000) · Alcohol · doi:10.1016/s0741-8329(99)00065-8 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Two Case Reports of Life-Threatening Ethanol-Induced Anaphylaxis
Fernando, S. L., & Clarke, L. R. (2009) · Case Reports in Dermatology · doi:10.1159/000209154 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Genetic factors account for most of the variation in serum tryptase—a twin study
Sverrild, A., van der Sluis, S., Kyvik, K. O., Garvey, L. H., Porsbjerg, C. M., Backer, V., & Thomsen, S. F. (2013) · Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.anai.2013.07.011 · Cited by 16 · see citing works
Ethanol-Induced Urticaria: Elevated Tryptase Levels after Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Challenge
Emonet, S., Hogendijk, S., Voegeli, J., Eigenmann, P., Roux, N., & Hauser, C. (1998) · Dermatology · doi:10.1159/000017995 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Serum tryptase concentrations in beekeepers with and without Hymenoptera venom allergy.
Carballada, F., Alonso‐Sampedro, M., Vizcaíno, L., Coutinho, V., Núñez, R., Vidal, C., Boquete, M., & González‐Quintela, A. (2013) · PubMed · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
1 of the 50 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The emerging role of mast cells in liver disease
Jarido, V., Kennedy, L. L., Hargrove, L. A., Demieville, J., Thomson, J., Stephenson, K., & Francis, H. (2017) · American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology · doi:10.1152/ajpgi.00333.2016 · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Egner, W., Sargur, R., Shrimpton, A., York, M., & Green, K. (2016) · Clinical & Experimental Allergy · doi:10.1111/cea.12785 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Tryptase in type I hypersensitivity
Michel, M., Klingebiel, C., & Vitte, J. (2022) · Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.anai.2022.08.996 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Diagnostic Significance of Tryptase for Suspected Mast Cell Disorders
Beyens, M., Toscano, A., Ebo, D., Gülen, T., & Sabato, V. (2023) · Diagnostics · doi:10.3390/diagnostics13243662 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
“Even alcohol consumption [80] or tobacco smoking [81] can decrease or elevate bST, respectively.”
BackgroundMast cells and the gut-liver Axis: Implications for liver disease progression and therapy
Nair, B., Kamath, A. J., Tergaonkar, V., Sethi, G., & Nath, L. R. (2024) · Life Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122818 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
Vega-Castro, A., Alonso‐Llamazares, A., Cárdenas, R., Beitia, J., Mateo, B. A., Álvarez‐Twöse, I., & Blanco, C. (2018) · Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology · doi:10.18176/jiaci.0258 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
What the clinician should know when ordering a mast cell tryptase test
Michel, M., Giusti, D., Klingebiel, C., Pham, B., & Vitte, J. (2025) · Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology · doi:10.1016/j.anai.2025.03.003 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Platzgummer, S., SIPMeL, A. N. D. G.-A., Onida, R., Bruno, L., Caponi, L., Anzivino, P., Conte, M., ZANONI, G., Ghisellini, S., Deleonardi, G., et al. (2026) · La Rivista Italiana della Medicina di Laboratorio - Italian Journal of Laboratory Medicine · doi:10.23736/s1825-859x.25.00312-3
Premières étapes dans l'interaction hôte-pathogène : rôle de l'immunité locale et innée
Michel, M. (2022) · theses.fr (ABES) · doi:10.70675/4647f4d2zd802z40abza572z8ff228db523f
- Authors
- Beceiro, C., Campos, J., Valcarcel, M.-A., Fenger, R. V., Lojo, S., Linneberg, A., Vidal, C., & Gonzalez-Quintela, A.
- Affiliations
- Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago (ES)
- Department of Internal Medicine; Hospital Clinico Universitario; Santiago de Compostela Spain
- Glostrup Hospital (DK)
- Venue
- Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2015-04
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 672-678
- ISSN
- 0145-6008 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2139580214
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.49
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
- RUNA. Repositorio Institucional del Sergas (Servicio Gallego de Salud (SERGAS)) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Ministry of Health) and European (FEDER) funds (PI13/02594)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Mast cells and histamine
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Keywords
- serum tryptase, mast cells, heavy drinking, alcohol consumption, alcohol withdrawal, acute liver disease, liver injury biomarkers, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, atopy, skin prick test
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Female, Humans, Liver Diseases, Alcoholic, Male, Mast Cells, Middle Aged, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Biomarkers, Case-Control Studies, Tryptases
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
