Efficacy and toxicity of hydroxyurea in mast cell activation syndrome patients refractory to standard medical therapy: retrospective case series

Determine efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of hydroxyurea (HU) in mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) patients who were refractory to standard medical therapy. An electronic chart review was performed to find MCAS patients who received HU in a MCAS medical practice. Diagnosis of MCAS was established on the basis of mast cell (MC) activation symptoms in ≥ 5 systems plus ≥ 1 abnormal MC mediators and/or ≥ 20 MC/high power field on duodenal biopsies. Medicines not providing significant clinical improvement prior to HU were tabulated. The following symptoms were evaluated by patients on a 0–10 scale prior to and at the study conclusion: bone pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Safety labs were obtained on a regular basis. Twenty out of three hundred ten (8.4%) MCAS patients received HU. Patients included 22 females, average age 42.4 years. Dysautonomia was present in 60%. An average of 10.6 (SD 1.7, range 8–13) medications were used prior to adding HU to various concomitant medications. Average dose of HU was 634 mg. In 20 patients who continued therapy for ≥ 2 months, there was statistically significant reduction of bone pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating, and nausea. Fourteen patients noted prolonged success with therapy. Six patients stopped HU within 6 weeks owing to AEs. Four patients treated ≥ 2 months had AEs and 2 led to HU cessation. All AEs were reversible. Refractory MCAS patients showed clear significant improvement in bone pain and gastrointestinal symptoms on HU. Systematic monitoring was effective in preventing the occurrence of severe HU-induced adverse events. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00210-022-02282-8.