Dr Lawrence B Afrin | MCAS | 2022 Long Covid and ME/CFS Holistic Healing Summit

In his presentation at the 2022 Long Covid and ME/CFS Holistic Healing Summit, Dr. Lawrence Afrin provides an introduction to Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), explaining its complex biology and its recent recognition as a distinct medical condition. Dr. Afrin illustrates how MCAS can present diversely in patients, making diagnosis and management challenging. He notes that the symptoms of MCAS, which include chronic inflammation and sometimes allergic-type reactions, vary significantly among patients. Dr. Afrin discusses the potential role of MCAS in the differences observed in COVID-19 severity and in the development of long COVID. He emphasizes that the treatment of MCAS must be highly individualized, involving a combination of avoiding triggers, and using medications to inhibit mediator release or block their effects. Dr. Afrin also highlights the challenges in diagnosing MCAS due to the broad range of symptoms and the need for specialized testing to confirm the diagnosis.