Soluble plasma VE-cadherin concentrations are elevated in patients with STEC infection and haemolytic uraemic Syndrome: a case-control study

TY - JOUR

T1 - Soluble plasma VE-cadherin concentrations are elevated in patients with STEC infection and haemolytic uraemic Syndrome: a case-control study

AU - Doulgere, Julia

AU - Otto, Benjamin

AU - Nassour, Maher

AU - Wolters-Eisfeld, Gerrit

AU - Rohde, Holger

AU - Magnus, Tim

AU - Wagener, Christoph

AU - Streichert, Thomas

N1 - Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the adherens junction protein vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) is released during Shiga toxin 2 producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and thus could be used to assist diagnosis.DESIGN: Using data from the large 2011 STEC outbreak in northern Europe, we determined VE-cadherin plasma concentrations in 356 patients distributed over three patient cohorts: patients with STEC infection accompanied by HUS (STEC-HUS), STEC patients without HUS (STEC) and control patients with diarrhoea but without STEC infection. We then looked for associations between VE-cadherin concentrations and disease severity defined by changes in lactate dehydrogenase, haemoglobin, creatinine, platelet count, haptoglobin and neurological symptoms.SETTING: This study was conducted at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.PARTICIPANTS: 79 STEC-HUS patients, 77 STEC patients and 200 control patients were enrolled in the study.RESULTS: We analysed 864 specimens (207 STEC, 449 STEC-HUS and 208 controls) in total. At admission, VE-cadherin concentration tended to be lower in STEC-HUS patients compared to other patients. However, HUS patients later showed an increase in VE-cadherin concentrations with prolonged elevation beyond remission. This pattern clearly differs from that observed in non-HUS patients.CONCLUSIONS: VE-cadherin concentrations are elevated in STEC-HUS patients and might be a biomarker reflecting endothelial damage in patients with HUS.

AB - OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether the adherens junction protein vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) is released during Shiga toxin 2 producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection with haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and thus could be used to assist diagnosis.DESIGN: Using data from the large 2011 STEC outbreak in northern Europe, we determined VE-cadherin plasma concentrations in 356 patients distributed over three patient cohorts: patients with STEC infection accompanied by HUS (STEC-HUS), STEC patients without HUS (STEC) and control patients with diarrhoea but without STEC infection. We then looked for associations between VE-cadherin concentrations and disease severity defined by changes in lactate dehydrogenase, haemoglobin, creatinine, platelet count, haptoglobin and neurological symptoms.SETTING: This study was conducted at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany.PARTICIPANTS: 79 STEC-HUS patients, 77 STEC patients and 200 control patients were enrolled in the study.RESULTS: We analysed 864 specimens (207 STEC, 449 STEC-HUS and 208 controls) in total. At admission, VE-cadherin concentration tended to be lower in STEC-HUS patients compared to other patients. However, HUS patients later showed an increase in VE-cadherin concentrations with prolonged elevation beyond remission. This pattern clearly differs from that observed in non-HUS patients.CONCLUSIONS: VE-cadherin concentrations are elevated in STEC-HUS patients and might be a biomarker reflecting endothelial damage in patients with HUS.

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005659

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-005659

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 25757942

VL - 5

SP - e005659

JO - BMJ OPEN

JF - BMJ OPEN

SN - 2044-6055

IS - 3

ER -