Flushing in children with cutaneous mastocytosis

Abstract

Introduction. Flushing is a subjective feeling of warmth that is accompanied by redness of the skin on any part of the body, but mainly on the face, neck and upper trunk. Episodic flushing with other symptoms associated with mast cell mediators can be observed in 30–50% of children with cutaneous mastocytosis (CM).Aim. To analyze the frequency of flushing in children with various clinical forms of cutaneous mastocytosis. To study serum tryptase levels in children with flushing.Materials and methods. The study included data from 275 children aged from 6 months to 17 years inclusive, who were undergoing outpatient treatment and observation at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center of Dermatovenereology and Cosmetology from March 2022 until January 2024. The concentration of tryptase in the blood was determined by immunofluo-rescence on a three-dimensional porous solid phase (ImmunoCAP technology, Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, Sweden). Polarization and immersion dermatoscopy with 20x magnification were performed.Results. Flushings were observed in 17.5% of patients out of 275 observed children with CM. The level of tryptase more than 15 µg/l was determined in 20.8% of children with flushing, above 11.0 µg/l – in 37.5%. Tryptase levels were higher than 8.0 µg/L in 22 (45.8%) patients. In 25.0% of patients with flushing, tryptase levels did not exceed 5 µg/L. The severity of the vascular pattern in lesions and apparently healthy skin was characteristic of patients with frequent or prolonged flushing and tryptase levels above 8.0 µg/L.Conclusion. This study was the first in the Russian Federation to demonstrate the prevalence of flushing in children with various clinical forms of cutaneous mastocytosis. The results showed that the assessment of serum tryptase levels should be performed in all children with flushing, regardless of the clinical form of mastocytosis, including those with isolated and multiple skin mastocytomas. Clinical laboratory and dermatoscopic monitoring are important for the development of individual therapeutic tactics and prevention of mediator reactions and anaphylaxis.