title: Steady-state sVCAM-1 serum levels in adults with sickle cell disease.
abstract: Cytokines and adhesion molecules play an important role in the pathophysiology of vaso-occlusion in sickle cell disease (SCD), and their in vivo profiles are potential tools for assessing SCD severity. We compared steady-state soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) serum levels to clinical (painful crisis frequency, occurrence of acute chest syndrome, leg ulcers, and cerebrovascular disease) and related hematological parameters of SCD severity (such as HbF%, hemoglobin levels, and leukocyte counts) in 29 HbSS adults. Serum sVCAM-1 levels were not related to clinical severity, but an inverse correlation was demonstrated between sVCAM-1 and hemoglobin levels (r=-0.71, p<0.001) with a positive correlation to serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (r=0.59, p=0.008). Based upon these results, steady-state serum sVCAM-1 levels do not seem to reflect clinical disease severity. However, as VCAM-1 is involved in hematopoiesis, sVCAM-1 levels might reflect bone marrow activity in SCD. This underlies the pleiotropic nature of adhesion molecules in vivo and the need for further research in this area, especially since therapies targeting (cellular) adhesive interactions involving the endothelium are emerging for SCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. jschnog@hotmail.com.|Red Cross Bloodbank Curaçao, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. jschnog@hotmail.com.|Department of Internal Medicine (9B), Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. jschnog@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Schnog
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Rojer
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (9B), Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mac Gillavry
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (9B), Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ten Cate
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine (9B), Slotervaart Hospital, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D P M
authors.initials: DPM
authors.lastname: Brandjes
authors.affiliation: Red Cross Bloodbank Curaçao, St. Elisabeth Hospital, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Duits
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006403:Hematologic Tests; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase