title: Changes in blood polyamine levels in human acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Experimental studies have shown that pancreatic activation of polyamine catabolism occurs during the early stage of acute pancreatitis. Changes in pancreatic polyamines are reflected in the red blood cell (RBC) polyamine contents, correlating with the extent of pancreatic necrosis. The aim of this human study was to examine the changes in polyamine levels in the RBCs of patients with acute pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients with acute pancreatitis (7 alcoholic, 10 gallstone and 7 of unknown etiology) were recruited in the study. Eighteen patients with non-pancreatic acute abdominal diseases were included as controls, and 6 volunteers were studied as references. Blood samples were collected on admission and during hospitalization to assess polyamine levels. After clinical recovery, the patients revisited the clinic, and RBC polyamine levels were measured again. For comparison, plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In acute pancreatitis patients, there was no difference in RBC polyamine levels on admission compared with those in controls or in volunteers. Putrescine levels on admission were higher in patients with pancreatic necrosis than in patients without necrosis, but there was no difference in spermidine and spermine levels. Patients with pancreatitis of unknown etiology had significantly higher levels of polyamines on admission and throughout hospitalization, but they also had more necrosis, which explained the difference in multivariate analysis. Spermidine and spermine levels increased after clinical recovery. RBC putrescine correlated with IL-6 and IL-10, and spermine correlated with CRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that RBC polyamines change in human acute pancreatitis in several respects, as has been previously observed in experimental pancreatitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. Haitao.Jin@pshp.fi
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Räty
authors.forename: Minna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minkkinen
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Järvinen
authors.forename: Juhani
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sand
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alhonen
authors.forename: Isto
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nordback
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood*; D011073:Polyamines / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011073:Polyamines