Sialic acid is an inflammation marker associated with a history of deep vein thrombosis.
BACKGROUND
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) induces a systemic chronic inflammation and it has been associated with atherosclerosis. Increased levels of total sialic acid (TSA) have been shown to correlate with inflammation and atherosclerotic processes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not increased levels of TSA are associated with a history of DVT and with inflammation and coagulation markers, as well as with the lipid profile.


METHODS
TSA, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrin D-dimer (D-dimer), prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2), endogenous thrombin generation, cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in 68 patients who had suffered, in the previous 6-12 months, a first episode of idiopathic DVT, and in 68 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects.


RESULTS
Levels of TSA, fibrinogen, CRP and D-dimer observed in patients were significantly higher than those detected in healthy subjects. TSA positively correlated with fibrinogen (R=0.47, p<0.01), cholesterol (R=0.46, p<0.01), triglycerides (R=0.38, p<0.01) and CRP (R=0.28, p<0.05). The logistic regression analysis confirmed that both high fibrinogen (> or =340 mg/dl) and cholesterol (> or =267 mg/dl) levels significantly and independently influence the TSA concentration. TSA levels above the 95th percentile of controls (>72 mg/dl) were detected in 33% of patients (OR=8.9; p<0.0001; 95% CI 2.4 to 31.7).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with a history of DVT had associated high levels of TSA. In these patients, TSA correlated to markers of inflammation activity and lipid profile. Thus, TSA appears to be a useful vascular inflammatory marker in idiopathic DVT.
Reganon
Edelmiro
E
Research Centre, La Fe University Hospital, Avenida Campanar 21, 46009 Valencia, Spain. reganon_ede@gva.es
Vila
Virtudes
V
Martínez-Sales
Vicenta
V
Vayá
Amparo
A
Mira
Yolanda
Y
Ferrando
Fernando
F
Aznar
Justo
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D011516:Prothrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*
D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D008055:Lipids; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D011516:Prothrombin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019158:N-Acetylneuraminic Acid