title: Increased plasma granulocyte elastase levels in Behçet's disease.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D000979:alpha-2-Antiplasmin; C037742:plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D005341:Fibrinolysin