Why Get Tested?
To help diagnose the cause of anaphylaxis, mastocytosis, or mast cell activation
When to Get Tested?
When you have symptoms such as flushing, nausea, throat swelling or low blood pressure that may be due to a life-threatening allergic reaction; when your doctor suspects that you have mastocytosis or mast cell activation
Sample Required?
A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm
How is it used?
The tryptase test is a useful indicator of mast cell activation. It may be ordered to confirm a diagnosis of anaphylaxis and to help diagnose mastocytosis. In most cases, a total tryptase is ordered, but sometimes both a total and mature tryptase may be ordered and the ratio of the two compared. As the predominant mature tryptase in the blood is usually beta tryptase, this is essentially a comparison between total tryptase and beta tryptase.
Anaphylaxis is primarily diagnosed clinically, but a total tryptase may be ordered, along with a histamine test, to help confirm anaphylaxis as the cause of someone's acute symptoms. This is especially true if the person has recurrent episodes and/or if the diagnosis is uncertain.
A tryptase test may be ordered to help diagnose mastocytosis or mast cell activation disorder. While cutaneous mastocytosis typically only causes skin problems (particularly hives), people with systemic mastocytosis or mast cell activation disorder may experience anaphylaxis and its associated symptoms. Persons with systemic mastocytosis may also have persistent symptoms related to the organs affected by mast cell infiltration. If systemic mastocytosis is suspected, an abnormal tryptase test is typically followed by a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy to determine if systemic mastocytosis is present. (Typically there are increased numbers of mast cells in the bone marrow in this disease.)
Other testing may be ordered to evaluate a person's health status and to help rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These may include specific allergy tests to help determine the cause of an allergic reaction, tests such as a CBC (Complete Blood Count) to evaluate red and white blood cells, a CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) to evaluate organ function, and/or a 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) urine test to rule out a carcinoid tumor that may cause similar symptoms, such as flushing, diarrhea, and/or wheezing. If stomach or intestinal ulcers are also present, a gastrin test may be done to determine if high gastrin may be the cause.
Occasionally, a tryptase test may be performed postmortem to help determine if anaphylaxis was the cause of a person's death.
To help diagnose the cause of anaphylaxis, mastocytosis, or mast cell activation
When to Get Tested?
When you have symptoms such as flushing, nausea, throat swelling or low blood pressure that may be due to a life-threatening allergic reaction; when your doctor suspects that you have mastocytosis or mast cell activation
Sample Required?
A blood sample drawn from a vein in your arm
How is it used?
The tryptase test is a useful indicator of mast cell activation. It may be ordered to confirm a diagnosis of anaphylaxis and to help diagnose mastocytosis. In most cases, a total tryptase is ordered, but sometimes both a total and mature tryptase may be ordered and the ratio of the two compared. As the predominant mature tryptase in the blood is usually beta tryptase, this is essentially a comparison between total tryptase and beta tryptase.
Anaphylaxis is primarily diagnosed clinically, but a total tryptase may be ordered, along with a histamine test, to help confirm anaphylaxis as the cause of someone's acute symptoms. This is especially true if the person has recurrent episodes and/or if the diagnosis is uncertain.
A tryptase test may be ordered to help diagnose mastocytosis or mast cell activation disorder. While cutaneous mastocytosis typically only causes skin problems (particularly hives), people with systemic mastocytosis or mast cell activation disorder may experience anaphylaxis and its associated symptoms. Persons with systemic mastocytosis may also have persistent symptoms related to the organs affected by mast cell infiltration. If systemic mastocytosis is suspected, an abnormal tryptase test is typically followed by a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy to determine if systemic mastocytosis is present. (Typically there are increased numbers of mast cells in the bone marrow in this disease.)
Other testing may be ordered to evaluate a person's health status and to help rule out other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. These may include specific allergy tests to help determine the cause of an allergic reaction, tests such as a CBC (Complete Blood Count) to evaluate red and white blood cells, a CMP (Comprehensive Metabolic Panel) to evaluate organ function, and/or a 5-HIAA (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) urine test to rule out a carcinoid tumor that may cause similar symptoms, such as flushing, diarrhea, and/or wheezing. If stomach or intestinal ulcers are also present, a gastrin test may be done to determine if high gastrin may be the cause.
Occasionally, a tryptase test may be performed postmortem to help determine if anaphylaxis was the cause of a person's death.
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