Risky allergic reaction chemical clues

Jan 7, 2008

Inflammatory chemical called PAF linked to anaphylaxis.

Researchers have found two chemical clues that may help them tame sudden, severe allergic reaction anaphylaxis.

The first clue: People with anaphlyaxis have high blood levels of an inflammatory chemical called platelet-activating factor (PAF).

The second clue: Anaphylaxis patients have low blood levels of PAF acetylhydrolase, an enzyme that breaks down PAF. Those patterns may lead to new drugs to block PAF and treat anaphylaxis.

The scientists compared blood samples from anaphylaxis patients to those from people without anaphylaxis. They concluded that too much PAF and too little PAF acetylhydrolase were a dangerous combination, and the greater the gap between levels of the two chemicals, the greater the risk to the anaphylaxis patient.

But PAF didn't cause anaphylaxis by itself. The patient also had to come in contact with his or her allergen, which for some patients was peanuts or insect stings.

The study may also lead to better tests to diagnose anaphylaxis works in the allergy and immunology division of Medical Center's pediatrics department.

Source: webmd.com

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