Cited by 654Mast cells and histamineAsthma and respiratory diseasesGastrointestinal motility and disorders

Definitions, criteria and global classification of mast cell disorders with special reference to mast cell activation syndromes: a consensus proposal

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Valent, Peter, Akin, Cem, Arock, Michel, Brockow, Knut, Butterfield, Joseph H., Carter, Melody C., Castells, Mariana, Escribano, Luis +11 more·2012·International Archives of Allergy and Immunology

Abstract

Activation of tissue mast cells (MCs) and their abnormal growth and accumulation in various organs are typically found in primary MC disorders also referred to as mastocytosis. However, increasing numbers of patients are now being informed that their clinical findings are due to MC activation (MCA) that is neither associated with mastocytosis nor with a defined allergic or inflammatory reaction. In other patients with MCA, MCs appear to be clonal cells, but criteria for diagnosing mastocytosis are not met. A working conference was organized in 2010 with the aim to define criteria for diagnosing MCA and related disorders, and to propose a global unifying classification of all MC disorders and pathologic MC reactions. This classification includes three types of ‘MCA syndromes’ (MCASs), namely primary MCAS, secondary MCAS and idiopathic MCAS. MCA is now defined by robust and generally applicable criteria, including (1) typical clinical symptoms, (2) a substantial transient increase in serum total tryptase level or an increase in other MC-derived mediators, such as histamine or prostaglandin D 2, or their urinary metabolites, and (3) a response of clinical symptoms to agents that attenuate the production or activities of MC mediators. These criteria should assist in the identification and diagnosis of patients with MCAS, and in avoiding misdiagnoses or overinterpretation of clinical symptoms in daily practice. Moreover, the MCAS concept should stimulate research in order to identify and exploit new molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets.

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  • Severe, episodic, and recurrent symptoms induced by MC mediators with concurrent involvement of at least two organ systems are required to meet the clinical consensus criterion of MCAS.

    “Severe, episodic, and recurrent symptoms induced by MC mediators with concurrent involvement of at least two organ systems are required to meet the clinical consensus criterion of MCAS.”

    From Selecting the Right Criteria and Proper Classification to Diagnose Mast Cell Activation Syndromes: A Critical Review (2021) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Clinical Symptoms section (p. 3) says symptoms affecting two or more organ systems increase the likelihood of systemic mast cell activation; it does not make that pattern a required clinical criterion. It also allows symptoms to be recurrent or permanent, contrary to the claim that episodic recurrence is required. The proposed criteria (p. 3) require typical symptoms alongside mediator and treatment-response evidence, not severe symptoms specifically. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • According to consensus criteria for MCAS diagnosis, sAT should be greater than sBT -1.2 + 2 ng/mL to confirm MCAS.

    “According to the consensus criteria for the diagnosis of MCAS, sAT should be greater than sBT -1.2 þ 2 ng/mL to con fi rm the presence of MCAS.”

    From Selecting the Right Criteria and Proper Classification to Diagnose Mast Cell Activation Syndromes: A Critical Review (2021) · cites this paper as [28]

    The ‘Increase in Serum Tryptase Levels’ section (p. 4) sets the acute tryptase threshold at baseline plus 20% of baseline plus 2 ng/mL—not baseline minus 1.2 plus 2 ng/mL as written. The ‘Definition and Proposed MCA Criteria’ section (p. 3) also requires clinical and other evidence; the tryptase threshold alone does not confirm MCAS. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  • MCAS is diagnosed when there is a documented clinically meaningful response to drugs that target mast cell mediators and/or suppress mast cell activation.

    “a documented clinically meaningful response to drugs that either target MC-derived mediators (e.g., H1 antihistamines or antileukotrienes) and/or suppress MC activation (e.g., cromoglycate, ketotifen, or omalizumab) [19, 21, 22].”

    From Why the 20% + 2 Tryptase Formula Is a Diagnostic Gold Standard for Severe Systemic Mast Cell Activation and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (2019) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Definition and Proposed MCA Criteria (p. 3) includes an objective major response to drugs affecting mast-cell mediators as one diagnostic criterion, and Response to Therapy (p. 4) names histamine receptor blockers, leukotriene receptor blockers and cromolyn. The paper requires clinical symptoms and a mediator increase as well; it does not establish a drug response alone as sufficient for diagnosis or name ketotifen or omalizumab among the examples. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • MCAS is diagnosed when there is documented recurrent episodic occurrence of typical systemic symptoms produced by mast cell mediators and involving at least two organ systems.

    “documented recurrent episodic occurrence of typical systemic symptoms that are produced by MC mediators and involve at least 2 organ systems”

    From Why the 20% + 2 Tryptase Formula Is a Diagnostic Gold Standard for Severe Systemic Mast Cell Activation and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (2019) · cites this paper as [19]

    The Clinical Symptoms section (p. 3) says recurrent symptoms involving two or more organ systems increase the likelihood of systemic mast cell activation. It also says symptoms alone are not diagnostic; the Definition and Proposed MCA Criteria section (p. 3) requires evidence of increased mast-cell mediators and generally a response to mediator-targeting treatment. The claim therefore describes a clinical criterion but overstates it as sufficient for an MCAS diagnosis. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Well-recognized symptoms of systemic MCA include acute urticaria, flushing, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, hypotensive syncope or near syncope, and tachycardia.

    “Well-recognized symptoms of systemic MCA include, among others, acute urticaria, flushing, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, hypotensive syncope or near syncope and tachycardia (Table 3) (1-3,26-28,31).”

    From Proposed Diagnostic Algorithm for Patients with Suspected Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (2019) · cites this paper as [27]

    The Clinical Symptoms section (p. 3) identifies acute urticaria, flushing, abdominal cramping, diarrhea and hypotension as suggestive of systemic mast cell activation. It does not identify hypotensive syncope or near syncope, or tachycardia, as symptoms; searches for those terms and related descriptions found no supporting passage. The paper also cautions that symptoms alone are not specific for systemic mast cell activation. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  1. 6 Simons FE: Anaphylaxis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2010; 125:S161-S181.

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Authors
Valent, P., Akin, C., Arock, M., Brockow, K., Butterfield, J. H., Carter, M. C., Castells, M., Escribano, L., Hartmann, K., Lieberman, P., Nedoszytko, B., Orfao, A., Schwartz, L. B., Sotlar, K., Sperr, W. R., Triggiani, M., Valenta, R., Horny, H.-P., & Metcalfe, D. D.
Affiliations
  • Medical University of Vienna (AT)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
  • École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay (FR)
  • Technical University of Munich (DE)
  • Mayo Clinic (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • University of Cologne (DE)
  • University of Tennessee System (US)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
  • Pathologisches Institut (DE)
  • Federico II University Hospital (IT)
Venue
International Archives of Allergy and Immunology
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2011-10-27
Volume
157
Issue
3
Pages
215-225
ISSN
  • 1018-2438 (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-0097
OpenAlex
W2139695498
Cited by
654
References
61
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 61 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 54 · 2018: 40 · 2017: 42 · 2016: 34 · 2015: 52 · 2014: 45 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 15
FWCI
13.33
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Archives of Allergy and Immunology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • edoc (University of Basel) (submittedVersion)
  • Open access LMU (Ludwid Maxmilian's Universitat Munchen) (submittedVersion)
  • mediaTUM (Technical University of Munich) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Mast cells and histamine
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
Keywords
mast cell activation syndrome, mast cell disease, mastocytosis, mast cell activation, diagnostic criteria, classification, tryptase, histamine, prostaglandin D2, mast cell mediators
MeSH terms
Attitude to Health, Diagnosis, Differential, Humans, Mast Cells, Mastocytosis, Biomarkers, Tryptases

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