Altered ventricular longitudinal strain in children with sickle cell disease: Role of TGF‐β and IL‐18

• Published in: Pediatric blood & cancer 2024-01, Vol.71 (1), p.e30762-n/a
• Main Authors: Wagdy, Reham, Assem, Hala, Abd‐Elmohsen, Ali M., Fata, Aya, Gendy, Wessam El, Gaber, Marwa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiomyopathy; Children; deformed myocardium; Echocardiography; Ferritin; Hematology; Hemoglobin; Morbidity; Myocardium; Oncology; Pediatrics; sickle cell cardiomyopathy; Sickle cell disease; speckle tracking echocardiography; strain; TGF‐β and IL‐18; tissue Doppler imaging; Transforming growth factor-b; Ventricle
• ISSN: 1545-5009; 1545-5017
• DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30762

Background Cardiovascular involvement in sickle cell disease (SCD) has a great impact on patients’ morbidity and mortality. Recently, interleukin‐18 (IL‐18) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) were suggested as potential biomarkers for sickle cell cardiomyopathy. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) is a reliable early parameter for estimation of deformed myocardium. This study evaluated the role of TGF‐β and IL‐18 as risk indicators of altered strain in patients with SCD. Methods Forty children with SCD (age >5 years) and 40 healthy children as controls, matched in age and sex, were enrolled in the study. All participants were subjected to clinical examination, complete blood count, serum ferritin, TGF‐β, IL‐18, and assessment of cardiac function by echocardiography. Results TGF‐β, IL‐18, and lactic acid dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher among cases (mean age: 10.6 ± 3.5 years) when compared to controls (p