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Patient Portrayal 2

The following patient portrayals are examples of different patient types, which may help you recognize patients in your practice who may be at risk of SM. Patient portrayals are fictionalized through review of published literature and follow the WHO Diagnostic Criteria for SM.1,a These are not actual patients and are provided for educational purposes only and not intended as medical guidance or advice for practice. You are advised to use independent clinical judgment when making individual patient diagnoses and treatment decisions.

Patient Portrayal

Clinical Presentation

Amy is a 53-year-old female who was referred to an allergist after being discharged from the ER for anaphylaxis with hypotension after a bee sting. During the evaluation with her doctor, Amy shared that she has been experiencing the following symptoms:

  • Increased frequency of cutaneous allergic reactions due to various external triggers2,3
  • Repeat episodes of unexplained anaphylaxis with
    hypotension and syncope (2 episodes in previous month)3
  • Greater sensitivity to more foods and increased frequency
    of diarrhea
    4,5

ER, emergency room; GI, gastrointestinal; MC, mast cell; SM, systemic mastocytosis; WHO, World Health Organization.
a Please note, these are the anticipated changes to the WHO guidelines, 5th edition, volume 11; cited from the beta version (ahead of print) available online.1

Click through the options below to see additional information for Amy, including medical history, current medications, and laboratory results.

Given the patient’s clinical presentation that includes unexplained anaphylaxis with
hypotension, cutaneous allergic reactions, and increased frequency of diarrhea, here are
some potential considerations when evaluating this fictional patient.

Questions to Consider for a Diagnostic Workup:

Click the plus button to reveal answers

Are the patient’s symptoms triggered by external factor(s) (eg, insect sting, medications, food)?

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Yes. Amy’s anaphylactic reaction with hypotension was triggered by a bee sting.

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Does the patient have any associated skin lesions?

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Yes. Amy has a medical history of chronic urticaria.

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Does this patient have any elevated MC mediator-related symptoms?

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Yes. Activated MCs release various mediators, which result in a wide range of symptoms.
Amy is experiencing unexplained episodes of anaphylaxis with hypotension and syncope and
increased GI symptoms.1,6-8

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Does this patient have elevated serum tryptase levels?a

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Yes. The normal median tryptase level in the healthy population is ~5 ng/mL, with a range of
1-15 ng/mL.9,10 Amy’s initial serum tryptase level was 48 ng/mL with follow-up levels
persistently elevated at 35 ng/mL, which is higher than the normal average.

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Does this patient have a KIT D816V mutation present detected by a high-sensitivity assay?a

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Yes. Using a peripheral blood test sample, a high-sensitivity assay confirmed the presence of a
KIT D816V mutation. Follow-up bone marrow biopsy testing confirmed the presence of a
KIT D816V mutation.1,6,11,a

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Does this patient have a presence of multifocal dense infiltrates of MCs (≥15 MCs in
aggregates) in bone marrow biopsy and/or biopsy of other extracutaneous organ(s)?

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Yes. A bone marrow biopsy was performed by a hematologist and results confirmed the presence of
multifocal dense infiltrates of MCs (≥15 MCs in aggregates).
1,7,12

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aBlood work.

Based on these findings, what would be your diagnosis?

DIAGNOSIS plus icon

References:

  1. Verstovek S, Colmenero I, Cozzolino I, et al. Systemic mastocytosis. In: WHO Classification of Tumours Editorial Board. Haematolymphoid tumours [Internet; beta version ahead of print]. International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2023. (WHO classification of tumours series, 5th ed; vol 11). Accessed September 28, 2023. https://tumourclassification.iarc.who.int/chapters/63
  2. Gülen T, Ljung C, Nilsson G, et al. Risk factor analysis of anaphylactic Reactions in patients with systemic mastocytosis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2017;5:1248-1255..
  3. Valent P, Akin C, Gleixner KV, et al. Multidisciplinary challenges in mastocytosis and how to address with personalized medicine approaches. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20:2976.
  4. Taylor F, Akin C, Lamoureux RE, et al. Development of symptom-focused outcome measures for advanced and indolent systemic mastocytosis: the AdvSM-SAF and ISM-SAF©. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2021;16(1):414.
  5. Jarkvist J, Brockow K, Gülen T. Low frequency of IgE-mediated food hypersensitivity in mastocytosis. J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2020;8(9):3093-3101.
  6. Pardanani A. Systemic mastocytosis in adults: 2023 update on diagnosis, risk stratification and management. Am J Hematol. 2023;98(7):1097-1116.
  7. Theoharides TC, Valent P, Akin C. Mast cells, mastocytosis, and related disorders. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(2):163-172.
  8. Ramsay DB, Stephen S, Borum M, et al. Mast cells in gastrointestinal disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2010;6(12):772-777.
  9. Sperr WR, El-Samahi A, Kundi M, et al. Elevated tryptase levels selectively cluster in myeloid neoplasms: a novel diagnostic approach and screen marker in clinical haematology. Eur J Clin Invest. 2009;39(10):914-923.
  10. Schwartz LB. Diagnostic value of tryptase in anaphylaxis and mastocytosis. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2006;26(3):451-463.
  11. Hoermann G, Sotlar K, Jawhar M, et al. Standards of genetic testing in the diagnosis and prognostication of systemic mastocytosis in 2022: recommendations in the EU-US Cooperative Group.
    J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract. 2022;10(8):1953-1963.
  12. Olivera A, Beaven MA, Metcalfe DD. Mast cells signal their importance in health and disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;142(2):381-393.