Publications (3)12.54 Total impact
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Article: Contribution of highly sensitive diagnostic methods to the diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis in the absence of skin lesions.
Allergy 09/2012; 67(9):1190-1. · 6.27 Impact Factor -
Article: Tryptase and histamine metabolites as diagnostic indicators of indolent systemic mastocytosis without skin lesions.
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ABSTRACT: Risk indicators of indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) in adults with clinical suspicion of ISM without accompanying skin lesions [urticaria pigmentosa (UP)] are lacking. This study aimed at creating a decision tree using clinical characteristics, serum tryptase, and the urinary histamine metabolites methylimidazole acetic acid (MIMA) and methylhistamine (MH) to select patients for bone marrow investigations to diagnose ISM. Retrospective data analysis of all adults, in whom bone marrow investigations were performed to diagnose ISM, was carried out. In total, 142 patients were included. SM was absent in all 44 patients with tryptase <10 μg/l, in 45 of 98 (46%) patients with tryptase ≥10 μg/l and in 18 of 52 patients (35%) with tryptase >20 μg/l. Above 43 μg/l, all patients had ISM (n = 11). Male gender, insect venom anaphylaxis as presenting symptom, tryptase, MIMA, and MH were independent ISM predictors. If tryptase was ≥10 μg/l, the diagnostic accuracy of MIMA and MH was high (areas under the ROC curve 0.92). In suspected patients without UP, the ISM risk is very low (if present at all) if tryptase is <10 μg/l. If tryptase is ≥10 μg/l, this risk depends on MIMA and MH, being low if these are normal, but high if these are elevated. Male gender and insect venom anaphylaxis are additional risk indicators. We recommend refraining from bone marrow examinations in suspected patients without UP if tryptase is <10 μg/l. Our results question the reliability of the minor diagnostic World Health Organization criterion of tryptase >20 μg/l.Allergy 03/2012; 67(5):683-90. · 6.27 Impact Factor -
Article: [Benign histiocytosis: Rosai-Dorfman disease].
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ABSTRACT: Sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy (Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD)) is a rare entity with pathological accumulation of specific, activated macrophages, mainly in cervical lymph nodes. However, in half of patients its primary presentation is extranodal. Its aetiology is unclear; several clues point in an immunological direction. Common clinical presentation is massive cervical lymphadenopathy, but nearly half of all patients suffer from extranodal manifestation at very diverse localizations. Diagnosis is based on histopathological findings: emperipolesis and S-100 positive histiocytes. Taking into account its benign character, caution in implementing therapy is recommended. Therapeutic options are limited to specific situations only. Two patients with known RDD presented at our outpatient clinic. A 75-year-old woman with two tumours in her right breast and an 83-year-old man with constipation - most likely due to a kidney tumour. Microscopic findings finally confirmed extranodal manifestation of RDD. Extranodal manifestations of RDD present in various forms and on history taking, physical examination and radiological imaging may resemble malignancies.Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde 01/2011; 155(27):A3176.