FOOD INTOLERANCE NETWORK
FACTSHEET
HHT (Hereditary
hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and a low salicylate diet
Some facts
about HHT:
·
It is a rare inherited condition, affecting about 1 in 5000 people
·
characterised by frequent nosebleeds and small red spots that are
vascular malformations called telangiectasias - most noticeable on the tongue,
fingers, hands, nose, lips, mouth,
throat and conjunctiva
·
also known as Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome
·
first recognised in 1896 as a disorder affecting the blood vessels
and therefore separate from haemophilia which affects the blood’s clotting
ability
·
can be associated with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in
various internal organs including brain and lungs and these can be
lifethreatening. Bleeding from the digestive tract can result in anemia
HHT patients
are advised to avoid anti-coagulant drugs including aspirin and non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen because they interfere with normal
clotting and can increase bleeding. So could a low salicylate diet help
patients with HHT?
A reader’s story: [387]
HHT (Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia) and a low salicylate diet (March
2006)
Our family has been largely
failsafe for the past couple of years due to our daughter’s behaviour, but an
added side benefit seems to have emerged. My husband has a rare disorder called
Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) which causes his capillaries to
balloon and bleed easily. His blood count is always very low and like all HHT
sufferers, nosebleeds have always been part of his life. He has had far fewer
nosebleeds since he's avoided salicylates and that's the only change that he's
made. I wonder if it could be that the lack of salicylates decrease the
bleeding? He can't ever take aspirin, so I suppose it makes sense, but if my
suspicions are correct, then other HHT sufferers might benefit as well. I would
think that it's worth investigating and I will certainly share it with anyone
who is interested or concerned. – Chris,
NSW
More
information about HHT from www.hht.org. More
information about a low salicylate diet and HHT from Chris: (vwilder@optusnet.com.au)
The information given is not intended as medical advice. Always consult
with your doctor for underlying illness. Before beginning dietary
investigation, consult a dietician with an interest in food intolerance.
update March 2006
