Histamine release induced by radiographic contrast media. Comparison between pulmonary and peritoneal mast cells derived from normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Intravascular application of radiographic contrast media (RCM) can cause adverse allergic/pseudoallergic reactions in certain individuals. In view of the increased risk for the reactions associated with cardiovascular diseases, we have investigated histamine release from isolated mast cells derived from the peritoneal cavity and the lung of normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats. Six commonly used RCM were tested in their clinical formulations: Angiographin (amidotrizoate), Rayvist (ioglycate), Telebrix (ioxithalamate), Hexabrix (ioxaglate), Solutrast (iopamidol), and Ultravist (iopromide). The three RCM with low osmolality (Hexabrix, Solutrast and Ultravist) released little histamine from all cell populations tested. Mast cells derived from spontaneously hypertensive rats released significantly more histamine following challenge with high osmolar RCM than those derived from normotensive rats. Higher concentrations were required to elicit release from the peritoneal cells than from the pulmonary cells. These results indicate a role for underlying cardiovascular diseases in mediator release and should be followed up by investigations on basophils or mast cells obtained from control subjects and patients with cardiovascular disease.