Serum level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 correlates with pulmonary arterial pressure in children with congenital heart disease.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial activation and vascular inflammation are thought to be the mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension. Increased expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1) and raised serum level of its soluble form (sICAM-1) are found in various conditions associated with endothelial activation.


METHODS
Serum samples from 31 children (14 boys and 17 girls; age, 4.9 +/- 4.6 years) with congenital heart disease (CHD) collected at the time of cardiac catheterization were analyzed for sICAM-1 level. Uni- and multivariable stepwise linear regression analyses were performed for the following variables against the sICAM-1 level: age, hemoglobin, serum creatinine, systemic arterial pressure (SAP), pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary blood flow (Qp) and resistance (Rp), systemic blood flow (Qs) and resistance (Rs), Qp/Qs, Rp/Rs, and pulmonary and systemic oxygen saturation.


RESULTS
The sICAM-1 levels in children who had CHD with and without pulmonary hypertension were 411 +/- 110 and 344 +/- 81 ng/ml, respectively (p = 0.11). In the univariable models, age, serum creatinine, systolic PAP, mean PAP, diastolic PAP, Rp, and Rp/Rs were significantly correlated with sICAM-1 level. In the multiple stepwise regression model, only mean PAP remained as an independent predictor of sICAM-1 level (r = 0.55; p = 0.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Children with CHD and pulmonary hypertension had a trend toward elevated sICAM-1 compared with CHD children who had no pulmonary hypertension. A linear correlation was found between mean pulmonary arterial pressure and sICAM-1 level.
Sungprem
Kanrawee
K
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
Khongphatthanayothin
Apichai
A
Kiettisanpipop
Patchara
P
Chotivitayatarakorn
Pairoj
P
Poovorawan
Yong
Y
Lertsapcharoen
Pornthep
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male
D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1