title: Plasma levels of D-dimer and circulating endothelial adhesion molecules in veno-occlusive disease of the liver following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
abstract: Veno-occlusive disease (VOD) of the liver is a frequent and life-threatening complication of BMT. Recently, successful treatment by t-PA has been reported but has been compromised by fatal bleeding events. Therefore, t-PA application should be restricted to patients with severe VOD. However, moderate and severe forms of VOD are difficult to distinguish in early stages. We analyzed plasma levels of cross-linked fibrin degradation products (D-dimer) and soluble endothelial adhesion molecules such as sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 in 10 consecutive patients undergoing allogeneic BMT to evaluate their use in identifying severe forms of VOD. During the observation period, 4 episodes of VOD occurred, 2 of which were fatal due to early onset of multiorgan failure. Concentrations of D-dimer generally increased after transplantation. However, there was an additional significant increase in D-dimer levels during severe VOD. Thus, D-dimer levels above 1000 microg/l were only found in 2 cases with severe VOD and fatal outcome. When compared with bilirubin concentrations substantial increases of D-dimers appeared earlier during the course of severe VOD. In contrast, VOD episodes were not accompanied by significant increases in sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1 levels. It is concluded that measurement of D-dimer concentrations may aid accuracy to the early diagnosis of severe VOD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Oncology and Clinical Immunology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Südhoff
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heins
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Söhngen
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wehmeier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aul
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Meckenstock
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reinauer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heyll
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D006504:Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; C036309:fibrin fragment D