Copyright (c) 2025 Revista médico científica
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Diamine oxidase (DAO) deficiency, responsible for degrading histamine from dietary sources, has been associated with various symptoms such as migraine, gastrointestinal discomfort, allergies, and chronic fatigue. Despite its growing recognition in other countries, there is limited information in Panama regarding its prevalence and clinical characteristics, which hinders timely diagnosis and adequate nutritional treatment.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the symptoms, diagnoses, and nutritional status of patients with low DAO activity treated at a primary care facility in Panama between January 2018 and February 2020.
METHODS: A descriptive, longitudinal, and retrospective study was conducted through the review of 116 clinical records of patients with low DAO activity treated at a health center in Panama. DAO deficiency was confirmed by blood testing of radioimmunoassay (RIA). Sociodemographic, anthropometric, biochemical, dietary, clinical, and lifestyle data were collected.
RESULTS: Of the patients, 85.3% were women and 54.3% were between 19 and 65 years old. DAO activity was intermediate in 70.7% and low in 29.3%. Obesity was observed in 39.7% and dyslipidemia in 31%. The most frequently reported symptoms were chronic fatigue (54.3%), intestinal cramps (52.6%), abdominal bloating (46.6%), and constipation (41.3%). Up to 43 types of food allergies were identified, with milk and casein being the most frequently reported.
CONCLUSION: The findings show that most patients with DAO deficiency were women with metabolic comorbidities, multiple food allergies, and diverse symptoms, highlighting the need to strengthen clinical nutritional care and further research on this condition in Panama.
