Hereditary alpha tryptasemia and food allergy

Food allergy (FA) and hereditary alpha-tryptasemia (H alpha T) are both relatively common conditions, but potential associations between these diagnoses have not been well-studied. Prior studies have suggested that acute rises in tryptase following food allergy reactions may not be as significant as reactions triggered by venom or drug allergy, but preliminary evidence suggests that the presence of alpha-tryptase and H alpha T is a risk factor for more severe reactions to foods. This mini review summarizes the epidemiology and diagnostic considerations of FA for patients with co-morbid H alpha T, potential effect of alpha-tryptase on food allergy reaction severity, and implications of tryptase genotyping in the management of FA. Additional research is needed to further investigate the relationship between FA and H alpha T.