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Increased plasma granulocyte elastase levels in Behçet's disease
K Tsutsui1, M Hasegawa, M Takata
1Department of Dermatology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Japan.
Objective:
To assess the role of granulocyte elastase in the development of thromboembolic vasculopathy in patients with Behçet's disease.
Methods:
Plasma granulocyte elastase-alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (E-PI) complex levels were measured by ELISA in 11 healthy subjects and 19 patients with Behçet's disease (BD). Eight of 19 patients showed deep vein thrombosis on (99m)technetium-macro-agglutinate albumin venography. Hemostatic variables were measured at the same time.
Results:
The mean plasma E-PI complex level was significantly higher in the 8 patients with than in the 11 patients without deep vein thrombosis (242 +/- 73 vs 165 +/- 97 ng/ml; p = 0.033). The mean plasma E-PI complex level in the 11 patients without deep vein thrombosis was significantly higher than in controls (165 +/- 97 vs 96 +/- 40 ng/ml; p = 0.038). Plasma E-PI complex levels correlated with the serum plasmin-alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex levels (r = 0.621, p = 0.0084).
Conclusion:
Plasma E-PI complex levels appear to be a useful marker of thromboembolic vasculopathy in BD.