Ann Dermatol.  2013 May;25(2):189-195. 10.5021/ad.2013.25.2.189.

Lack of Association of Plasma Histamine with Diamine Oxidase in Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria

• Cho HJ
• Cho SI
• Kim HO
• Park CW
• Lee CH

• KMID: 2171787
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5021/ad.2013.25.2.189

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is considered a complex and multifactorial disease. Excessive histamine intake may induce an attack of urticaria. The main enzyme for histamine metabolism is diamine oxidase (DAO).
OBJECTIVE
Plasma histamine concentrations and DAO activities were evaluated to determine whether there are abnormalities in the histamine metabolism of CIU patients.
METHODS
Seventy-five CIU patients and twenty-five healthy control subjects were included in the study. Blood was taken from all subjects to measure plasma levels of the histamine and DAO.
RESULTS
Mean plasma histamine levels were significantly higher in CIU patients (11.59+/-10.98 nM) than in the control subjects (8.75+/-2.55 nM) (p=0.04). Mean DAO activities were lower in patients of CIU (80.86+/-26.81 histamine degrading unit [HDU]/ml) than in the controls (81.60+/-9.67 HDU/ml), but without significant difference. In 15 CIU patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, the mean histamine concentration was higher (12.43+/-7.97 nM) and DAO activity was lower (77.93+/-27.53 HDU/ml) than in the remaining 60 CIU patients without gastrointestinal symptoms (11.38+/-11.67 nM and 81.58+/-26.82 HDU/ml), without significant difference. The relationship between DAO activity and plasma histamine concentrations showed a significant negative linear value (p=0.001). There were no significant relationships between plasma histamine concentrations and symptom severity score.
CONCLUSION
In CIU patients, a high plasma histamine concentration may not be explained by DAO activity. CIU patients with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms showed no significantly lower DAO activity. Larger group studies are required to elucidate the relationship between plasma histamine concentrations and DAO activity, especially of CIU patients with GI symptomsto understand the difference in CIU patients with and without GI symptoms.

Keyword

Chronic urticaria; Diamine oxidase; Gastrointestinal; Histamine; Pseudoallergic reaction

MeSH Terms

Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)
Histamine
Humans
Plasma
Urticaria
Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing)
Histamine

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 The patients group (groups A and B) shows significantly higher mean plasma histamine concentrations than group C (p=0.04). Group B shows the highest plasma histamine level among the 3 groups. Group A: patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, Group B: patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, Group C: healthy control subjects. *p<0.05.

• 

  Fig. 2 DAO activity in the patients group (groups A and B) and group C dose not show significant differences (p=0.839). Group B shows the lowest DAO activity among the 3 groups. Group A: patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, Group B: patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, Group C: healthy control subjects. DAO: diamine oxidase, HDU: histamine degrading unit.

• 

  Fig. 3 Correlation coefficients between the plasma histamine level and DAO activity, show significant negative linear values in all subjects (A: n=100, r=-0.335, p=0.001). The negative linear values are more evident in group A+B (B: n=75, r=-0.352, p=0.002). In group B alone, there was no significant correlation (C: n=15, r=-0.462, p=0.114). Group A: patients without gastrointestinal symptoms, Group B: patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, Group C: healthy control subjects. DAO: diamine oxidase, HDU: histamine degrading unit.

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