LIVE MCAS Community Q&A with Dr. Lawrence Afrin & Special Focus on Long Covid

In a live community Q&A session, Dr. Lawrence Afrin discussed various aspects of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and its potential links to Long COVID, hereditary alpha tryptasemia, and systemic mastocytosis. Dr. Afrin explained that many MCAS patients might find improvements with treatments that target mast cell behavior, though there's a significant individual variability in response. He highlighted that a normal tryptase level does not rule out MCAS, as tryptase is often normal in these patients. He also touched on the difficulty of managing comorbid conditions, such as POTS and EDS, and the need for more research into the connections and treatment options. Regarding Long COVID, Dr. Afrin noted the hypothesis that dysfunctional mast cells could be contributing to ongoing symptoms, though this area needs more investigation. The session emphasized patience and trial-and-error in finding effective treatments unique to each patient due to the complex nature of these conditions.