A short interview-style discussion between Robert Whitfield MD and Dr. Ash about using detailed patient questionnaires and medical history to identify mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS). Dr. Ash emphasizes that a thorough history often yields the diagnosis and that multiple environmental and stress-related factors typically provoke mast cell activation.
Well, Dr. Ash, that's quite a lead up to you. No pressure, but how did you get to the point where you understood the problem so well?
Well, one of the things I do with all of my patients is get them to fill out very comprehensive questionnaires ahead of the first consultation. And that, you know, they say in medicine, you glean 80% of a diagnosis from the history. So if you take the right history, you it literally does give you the diagnosis. And one of my questionnaires is mast cell activation syndrome sympt, as well as a whole range of just general systemic symptoms. And there are just so many red flags on Andy's questionnaires that made me put the MCAS diagnosis potentially in my head. And when I always question what's provoking the mast cells in an individual, it's usually a stacking effect of a whole team of environmental and stress factors.
