Liver stiffness increases acutely during sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis.

ABSTRACT: Acute vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in sickle cell disease (SCD) is an important cause of end-organ damage. It is estimated that 10-39% of VOC occurs with hepatic involvement. Current assessments of hepatic involvement during VOC are unsatisfactory. We investigated transient elastography (TE) as a marker of hepatic involvement, its relationship with histology, and biochemical markers during VOC. SCD patients were evaluated with biochemical markers and TE at steady-state and during VOC. Change in TE and biochemical markers were correlated with length of hospital stay. When available, liver biopsy and tricuspid regurgitation velocity (TRV) at steady-state were correlated with TE. Twenty-three patients were evaluated (mean age?=?34.3 years, standard deviation?=?7.96). In 15 patients with liver biopsies, TE correlated with fibrosis (P?=?0.01) and TRV (P?=?0.0063), but not hepatic iron. Hemolysis biomarkers changed during VOC (P?

SUBMITTER: Koh C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3808506 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature