Serum tryptase concentrations in beekeepers with and without Hymenoptera venom allergy.

BACKGROUND Increased tryptase concentrations are a risk marker for the severity of reactions to Hymenoptera stings or venom immunotherapy OBJECTIVE To investigate serum tryptase concentrations in beekeepers with and without Hymenoptera venom allergy (HVA). METHODS Serum tryptase concentrations were measured in adult patients with HVA (n = 91, 37 of whom were beekeepers), beekeepers without HVA (n = 152), and control individuals from the general adult population (n = 246). RESULTS Multivariate analyses revealed that serum tryptase levels were positively associated with beekeeping activities (P < .001) and HVA (P < .001). Tryptase levels were also positively associated with age (P < .001) and male'sex (P = .02), and negatively associated with alcoho consumption (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Beekeeping and HVA are independently associated with increased concentrations of serum tryptase.