19901
document
Histamine intolerance-like symptoms in healthy volunteers after oral provocation with liquid histamine . Histamine in food at non-toxic doses has been proposed to be a major cause of food intolerance causing symptoms like diarrhea , hypotension , headache , pruritus and flush ( " histamine intolerance " ) . Histamine-rich foods such as cheese , sausages , sauerkraut , tuna , tomatoes , and alcoholic beverages may contain histamine up to 500 mg/kg . We conducted a randomized , double-blind , placebo-controlled cross-over study in 10 healthy females ( age range 22-36 years , mean 29.1 +/- 5.4 ) who were hospitalized and challenged on two consecutive days with placebo ( peppermint tea ) or 75 mg of pure histamine ( equaling 124 mg histamine dihydrochloride , dissolved in peppermint tea ) . Objective parameters ( heart rate , blood pressure , skin temperature , peak flow ) as well as a total clinical symptom score using a standardized protocol were recorded at baseline , 10 , 20 , 40 , 80 minutes , and 24 hours . The subjects received a histamine-free diet also low in allergen 24 hours before hospitalization and over the whole observation period . Blood samples were drawn at baseline , 10 , 20 , 40 , and 80 minutes , and histamine and the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase ( DAO ) were determined . After histamine challenge , 5 of 10 subjects showed no reaction . One individual experienced tachycardia , mild hypotension after 20 minutes , sneezing , itching of the nose , and rhinorrhea after 60 minutes . Four subjects experienced delayed symptoms like diarrhea ( 4x ) , flatulence ( 3x ) , headache ( 3x ) , pruritus ( 2x ) and ocular symptoms ( 1x ) starting 3 to 24 hours after provocation . No subject reacted to placebo . No changes were observed in histamine and DAO levels within the first 80 minutes in non-reactors as well as reactors . There was no difference in challenge with histamine versus challenge with placebo . We conclude that 75 mg of pure liquid oral histamine -- a dose found in normal meals -- can provoke immediate as well as delayed symptoms in 50 % of healthy females without a history of food intolerance .
19902
Intervention_Control
placebo-controlled
19903
Intervention_Control
placebo ( peppermint tea )
19904
Intervention_Pharmacological
histamine
19905
Intervention_Pharmacological
histamine-free diet
19906
Outcome_Physical
no reaction
19907
Outcome_Physical
tachycardia
19908
Outcome_Physical
mild hypotension after 20 minutes
19909
Outcome_Physical
sneezing
19910
Outcome_Physical
itching of the nose
19911
Outcome_Physical
rhinorrhea after 60 minutes
19912
Outcome_Physical
diarrhea ( 4x )
19913
Outcome_Physical
flatulence ( 3x )
19914
Outcome_Physical
headache ( 3x )
19915
Outcome_Physical
pruritus ( 2x )
19916
Outcome_Physical
ocular symptoms
19917
Outcome_Physical
histamine and DAO levels
19918
Participant_Condition
Histamine intolerance-like symptoms
19919
Participant_Condition
healthy
19920
Participant_Sample-size
10
19921
Participant_Sex
females
19922
Participant_Age
age range 22-36 years
19923
Participant_Sex
females