Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet on patients affected with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU).
Design: Ten patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria were prescribed an oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet for 21 days, followed by serial and controlled reintroduction of foods during a further 70 days. Modification in clinical illness as well as histamine plasma levels, post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and intestinal permeability were evaluated.
Results: The oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet induced a significant improvement of symptoms (P<0.05). Moreover, CIU patients on free diet showed higher histamine plasma levels (P<0.05 vs post-diet and vs controls) that fell to control levels during the oligoantigenic and histamine-free diet. Post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase values were slightly reduced and were unchanged during the diet as well as intestinal permeability, which was always normal in all patients.
Conclusions: These data suggest that histamine plays a major role in chronic idiopathic urticaria. The finding of normal intestinal permeability suggests that a morphological damage of intestinal mucosa should be excluded in these patients. However, the presence of low levels of post-heparin plasma diamine oxidase may indicate a subclinical impairment of small bowel enterocyte function that could induce a higher sensitivity to histamine-rich or histamine-producing food.
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 155–158
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Guida, B., De Martino, C., De Martino, S. et al. Histamine plasma levels and elimination diet in chronic idiopathic urticaria. Eur J Clin Nutr 54, 155–158 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600911
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600911
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