028 Dr Lawrence Afrin – Mast Cell Activation Syndrome

In this podcast episode, Dr. Lawrence Afrin, a leading expert on Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), discusses the complex nature of the condition and its impact on patients. He shares personal anecdotes about cases that led him to pursue this line of research, highlighting how MCAS can present with a wide variety of symptoms across different bodily systems. Dr. Afrin emphasizes the prevalence of MCAS and its potential role in unexplained chronic medical conditions, touching on its psychiatric manifestations, including brain fog and anxiety. He stresses the importance of clinicians taking thorough histories and performing systematic testing to diagnose MCAS accurately, despite the challenges due to its heterogeneity and the thermal instability of some biomarkers. Afrin also addresses the variability in treatment response among patients, advocating for persistent and methodical approaches to therapy. His insights underline the necessity for greater awareness and understanding of MCAS in the medical community to improve patient outcomes.