Peripheral arterial tonometry in assessing endothelial dysfunction in pediatric sickle cell disease.
BACKGROUND
SCD is characterized by hemolysis and oxidative stress, resulting in endothelial dysfunction (EDF). Peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT), a noninvasive technology for measuring EDF, utilizes reactive hyperemia following mini-ischemic stress (reactive hyperemia index or RHI).


METHODS
The authors studied PAT in 36 SCD children to determine the influence of hemoglobin genotype and treatment on EDF.


CONCLUSIONS
Blunted RHI was seen in the majority of children with SCD, especially with increased symptomatology (1.53 and 1.71; p value .032). RHI was not normal in children on chronic transfusion or hydroxyurea. RHI correlated with reticulocyte fraction (Spearman r = -.47, p = .037). PAT merits further exploration as a measure of EDF in SCD.
Sivamurthy
Krupa M
KM
Hematology/Oncology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141, USA.
Dampier
Carlton
C
MacDermott
MaryLou
M
Maureen
Meier
M
Cahill
Michele
M
Hsu
Lewis L
LL
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005838:Genotype; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006940:Hyperemia; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012156:Reticulocytes; D055815:Young Adult
D006454:Hemoglobins