Publications by authors named "Rebekka K Bent"
Safety and Low Incidence of Anaphylaxis in Performing Oral Drug and Food Challenges in Mastocytosis.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
November 2024
Background: Patients with mastocytosis (MC) have an increased risk of severe anaphylaxis. They report hypersensitivity reactions to drugs and food, but causality often remains questionable. Most allergy centers avoid oral challenge tests (OCT) in MC patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWheat allergy dependent on augmentation factors (WALDA) is the most common gluten allergy in adults. IgE-mediated sensitizations are directed towards ω5-gliadin but also to other wheat allergens. The value of the different in vitro cellular tests, namely the basophil activation test (BAT) and the active (aBHRA) and passive basophil histamine-release assays (pBHRA), in the detection of sensitization profiles beyond ω5-gliadin has not been compared.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mastocytosis is characterized by an accumulation of clonal mast cells (MCs) in tissues such as the skin. Skin lesions in mastocytosis may be clinically subtle or heterogeneous, and giving the correct diagnosis can be difficult.
Methods: This study compiles personal experiences together with relevant literature, discussing possible obstacles encountered in diagnosing skin involvement in mastocytosis and cutaneous mastocytosis (CM).
Placebo-Controlled Histamine Challenge Disproves Suspicion of Histamine Intolerance.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract
December 2023
Article Synopsis
- Histamine intolerance (HIT) is often diagnosed in patients with unexplained symptoms, but a study aimed to confirm or exclude it through a controlled histamine challenge involving 59 patients.
- Most participants were middle-aged women; while many reported symptom improvement on a low-histamine diet, the study found that only a small percentage truly had HIT, with only a few experiencing symptoms specifically after histamine exposure.
- Results indicated that while certain gastrointestinal symptoms and lower DAO levels may suggest HIT, their reliability as diagnostic markers is limited, highlighting the need for controlled challenges due to the frequent placebo effects observed.
Challenge-confirmed diagnosis restores quality of life in cofactor-dependent wheat allergy.
Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol
October 2023
Background: Food allergies including cofactor-dependent allergies such as cofactor-dependent wheat allergy (CDWA) decrease the quality of life (QOL) of patients.
Objective: To define the health-related QOL and fears in patients with CDWA and to evaluate the impact of diagnosis confirmation by oral challenge test (OCT).
Methods: Patients with CDWA diagnosed by clinical history, sensitization, and OCT were invited to participate.
PEG allergy - A COVID-19 pandemic-made problem? A German perspective.
World Allergy Organ J
November 2022
Background: Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been used for decades, but only caused allergic reactions exceptionally. Introduction of PEG-containing COVID-19 vaccines might have fostered public interest beyond medical reasoning.
Objectives: To investigate the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the public interest in PEG allergy in Germany and the published PEG allergy cases worldwide.