Urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E4 significantly increases during pain in children and adults with sickle cell disease

Abstract

Baseline level of the cysteinyl leukotriene (CysLT), leukotriene E 4 (LTE4), is associated with an increased pain rate in children and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). To provide additional evidence for a role of CysLTs in the pathogenesis of vaso-occlusion, we tested the hypothesis that LTE4 levels will increase within an individual during painful episodes compared to baseline. In a cohort of 19 children and adults with SCD, median LTE4 levels increased from 82.36 pg/mg creatinine at baseline to 162.81 pg/mg creatinine during a painful episode (P < 0.001). These data further support a contribution of CysLTs to the process of vaso-occlusion. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.