Modern anti-allergy treatments may also help prevent deep vein thrombosis, British researchers say today.
So far the researchers at Birmingham University have tested their findings in laboratory mice.
They have found that by reducing mast cell levels, the animals can be protected from DVT.
If this were an effective treatment for humans, it could be delivered by a new generation of mast cell inhibitors, developed to treat allergic conditions.
The researchers reported their findings in Circulation Research.
Researcher Dr Alex Brill said: "These findings offer new hope for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis without a risk of bleeding.
"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.”
Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s far too soon to suggest people should start taking anti-allergy tablets to prevent DVT but this exciting discovery may pave the way for new treatments, and reduce some of the bleeding side effects which come with anticoagulants such as warfarin. However further research is needed to show that the same protective effect can be seen in humans.”
Ponomaryov et al. Mast Cells Granular Contents Are Crucial for Deep Vein Thrombosis in Mice. Circulation Research 3 August 2017; doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.117.311185
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