Positive and negative acute phase reactants in sickle cell diseases

Abstract

Background: We tried to understand some positive and negative acute phase reactants (APR) in sickle cell diseases (SCD). Methods: Consecutive patients with the SCD and controls were studied. Results: The study included 193 patients (98 females) and 132 controls (67 females). Although the body weight and body mass index (BMI) were retarded in the SCD (58.9 versus 71.1 kg and 21.5 versus 26.8 kg/m2, respectively, p<0.000 for both), the body heights were similar in both groups (164.8 versus 162.8 cm, p>0.05). Parallel to the retarded body weight and BMI, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (93.4 versus 102.4 mg/dL, p=0.025), low density lipoproteins (LDL) (70.4 versus 98.1 mg/dL, p<0.000), high density lipoproteins (HDL) (24.2 versus 35.8 mg/dL, p<0.000), and systolic (117.6 versus 127.9 mmHg, p=0.001) and diastolic blood pressures (BP) (77.3 versus 86.0 mmHg, p<0.000) were all retarded in the SCD. On the other hand, total bilirubin (TB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were both increased (4.0 versus 0.7 mg/dL and 638.9 versus 268.4 U/L, respectively, p<0.000 for both) in the SCD. Similarly, white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (PLT) counts (16.338 versus 7.407 /µL and 421.424 versus 268.612 /µL, respectively) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (90.3 versus 78.3 fL) were all increased whereas the hematocrit (Hct) level was decreased (23.2 versus 36.6%) in the SCD (p<0.000 for all). Conclusion: Body weight, BMI, FPG, LDL, HDL, systolic and diastolic BP, and Hct may be some negative whereas TB, LDH, WBC and PLT counts, and MCV may be some positive APR in the body. Keywords: Sickle cell diseases, positive acute phase reactants, negative acute phase reactants, chronic endothelial damage, atherosclerosis, body weight, body mass index