BACKGROUND: Baseline serum tryptase concentrations are commonly used in clinical practice as a marker of the body's mast cell burden. This study aimed to investigate serum tryptase concentrations in heavy drinkers.

METHODS: Serum tryptase concentrations were determined in 126 heavy drinkers (75% males, median age 47 years) who were admitted to the hospital because of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (n = 60), general symptoms with abnormalities on biochemical tests that indicated acute liver disease (n = 19), complications of advanced liver disease (n = 33), and miscellaneous reasons (n = 14). Results were compared with those of 70 healthy controls (66% males, median age 40 years).

RESULTS: Serum tryptase concentrations were lower in heavy drinkers than in healthy controls (median 2.23 μg/l vs. median 3.25 μg/l, p < 0.001). Ten heavy drinkers (7.9%) had undetectable (<1 μg/l) serum tryptase levels versus none of the healthy controls (p = 0.01). The association of low tryptase levels with heavy drinking was independent of age, gender, and smoking status. Among heavy drinkers, the lowest tryptase concentrations were observed in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome and patients with general symptoms with abnormalities on biochemical tests that indicated acute liver disease. Furthermore, serum tryptase concentrations were negatively correlated with markers of acute liver damage or alcohol consumption (serum aspartate aminotransferase and gamma-glutamyl transferase). Atopy (skin prick test positivity) was not associated with serum tryptase concentrations in heavy drinkers.

CONCLUSIONS: Serum concentrations of mast cell tryptase are lower in heavy drinkers than in healthy controls.