Mast cells
Preclinical research suggests common anti-allergy medicines might be able to treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
Researchers discovered that mice genetically depleted of mast cells were protected from developing DVT but still had normal hemostasis.
The team therefore theorized that mast cell inhibitors, which are already approved to treat some allergic diseases, might be effective against DVT.
Alex Brill, MD, PhD, of the University of Birmingham in the UK, and his colleagues reported these findings in Circulation Research.
“These findings offer new hope for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis without a risk of bleeding,” Dr Brill said. “If further human studies support our findings in mice, drugs to block mast cell production could be used in the future alongside lower doses of anticoagulants such as warfarin, significantly reducing bleeding risk.”
“This is particularly exciting because this is a group of drugs which already exists, and some forms are approved for the treatment of allergies such as hay fever and asthma, meaning that this discovery could help people with DVT sooner rather than later.”
