A comparison between in vitro jejunal mast cell degranulation and intragastric challenge in patients with suspected food intolerance.

Fifteen patients with suspected food intolerance were investigated. Ten patients showed a positive reaction to double-blind intragastric food challenge. Mast cell degranulation induced by in vitro challenge with foods or food antigens on mucosal specimens corresponded well with the results of intragastric food challenge. There was agreement in 13 positive and 18 negative tests; there was disagreement in 5 tests. Thus only one in vitro challenge failed to produce mast cell degranulation when the intragastric challenge gave a clinical reaction, and four mucosal specimens showed mast cell degranulations despite no clinical reaction. The results of radioallergosorbent and skin tests afforded little information as to whether the patient would react to the intragastric food challenge.