Increased plasma granulocyte elastase levels in Behçet's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the role of granulocyte elastase in the development of thromboembolic vasculopathy in patients with Behçet's disease.


METHODS
Plasma granulocyte elastase-alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (E-PI) complex levels were measured by ELISA in 11 healthy subjects and 19 patients with Behçet's disease (BD). Eight of 19 patients showed deep vein thrombosis on (99m)technetium-macro-agglutinate albumin venography. Hemostatic variables were measured at the same time.


RESULTS
The mean plasma E-PI complex level was significantly higher in the 8 patients with than in the 11 patients without deep vein thrombosis (242 +/- 73 vs 165 +/- 97 ng/ml; p = 0.033). The mean plasma E-PI complex level in the 11 patients without deep vein thrombosis was significantly higher than in controls (165 +/- 97 vs 96 +/- 40 ng/ml; p = 0.038). Plasma E-PI complex levels correlated with the serum plasmin-alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex levels (r = 0.621, p = 0.0084).


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma E-PI complex levels appear to be a useful marker of thromboembolic vasculopathy in BD.
Tsutsui
K
K
Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
Hasegawa
M
M
Takata
M
M
Takehara
K
K
D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology*; D005341:Fibrinolysin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase / Q000378:metabolism*; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000378:metabolism; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000378:metabolism; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin
D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; C037742:plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D005341:Fibrinolysin