title: Circulating endothelial cell levels correlate with proinflammatory cytokine increase in the acute phase of thermal injury.
abstract: Circulating endothelial cells (CECs) are increased in sickle cell disease, myocardial infarction, and acute lung injury. The purpose of this study was to determine whether CECs are a prognosticating marker for the development of pneumonia in burn patients with/without inhalation injury in addition to their relationship to proinflammatory cytokines. There were 24 patients: 6 with inhalation injury, 5 with burn only,and 13 with burn plus inhalation injury. CECs were measured by anchored cytometry (Clarient ChromaVision, San Juan Capistrano, CA). In addition, plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, and interleukins (IL)-10, IL-6, IL-4, and IL-2 were compared with CEC levels. Patients with inhalation injury had a significant (P < .001) paucity of CECs compared with the thermally injured with inhalation. There was a statistically significant increase in inteferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and IL-6, IL-4, and IL-2 compared with control patients (P < .01), with a concomitant increase in the number of CECs. The numbers of CEC levels did not prognosticate which patients would develop pneumonia. Burn patients with/without inhalation injury had concurrent increase in CECs and proinflammatory cytokines during the acute phase of injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma, Sumner L. Koch Burn Center, John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
authors.forename: Areta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowal-Vern
authors.forename: Scot D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Webster
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmasubban
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Latenser
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D002059:Burns, Inhalation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D042783:Endothelial Cells; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines