Elevated urinary leukotriene E4 levels are associated with hospitalization for pain in children with sickle cell disease

JE Jennings, T Ramkumar, J Mao… - American journal of …, 2008 - Wiley Online Library
JE Jennings, T Ramkumar, J Mao, J Boyd, M Castro, JJ Field, RC Strunk, MR DeBaun
American journal of hematology, 2008Wiley Online Library
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CsyLTs) are inflammatory mediators produced by white blood cells.
Leukotriene LTE4 is the stable metabolite of CsyLTs, which can be measured in urine. We
tested two hypotheses among children with sickle cell disease (SCD):(1) baseline urinary
LTE4 levels are elevated in children with SCD when compared with controls; and (2)
baseline LTE4 levels are associated with an increased incidence rate of hospitalization for
SCD‐related pain. Baseline LTE4 levels were measured in children with SCD (cases) and …
Abstract
Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CsyLTs) are inflammatory mediators produced by white blood cells. Leukotriene LTE4 is the stable metabolite of CsyLTs, which can be measured in urine. We tested two hypotheses among children with sickle cell disease (SCD): (1) baseline urinary LTE4 levels are elevated in children with SCD when compared with controls; and (2) baseline LTE4 levels are associated with an increased incidence rate of hospitalization for SCD‐related pain. Baseline LTE4 levels were measured in children with SCD (cases) and children without SCD matched for age and ethnicity (controls). Medical records of cases were reviewed to assess the frequency of hospitalization for pain within 3 years of study entry. LTE4 levels were obtained in 71 cases and 22 controls. LTE4 levels were higher in cases compared with controls (median LTE4: 100 vs. 57 pg/mg creatinine, P < 0.001). After adjustment for age and asthma diagnosis, a greater incidence rate of hospitalization for pain was observed among children with SCD in the highest LTE4 tertile when compared with the lowest (114 vs. 52 episodes per 100 patient‐years, P = 0.038). LTE4 levels are elevated in children with SCD when compared with controls. LTE4 levels are associated with an increased rate of hospitalizations for pain. Am. J. Hematol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
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