Faculty Collaboration Database

Increased circulating fibrocytes are associated with higher reticulocyte percent in children with sickle cell anemia. Pediatr Pulmonol 2016 Mar;51(3):295-9

Date

07/02/2015

Pubmed ID

26130026

Pubmed Central ID

PMC5559871

DOI

10.1002/ppul.23248

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-84958178007 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   2 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease is common in patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA). Fibrocytes are circulating cells implicated in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and airway remodeling in asthma. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that fibrocyte levels are: (1) increased in children with SCA compared to healthy controls, and (2) associated with pulmonary disease.

PROCEDURE: Cross-sectional cohort study of children with SCA who participated in the Sleep Asthma Cohort Study.

RESULTS: Fibrocyte levels were obtained from 45 children with SCA and 24 controls. Mean age of SCA cases was 14 years and 53% were female. In children with SCA, levels of circulating fibrocytes were greater than controls (P < 0.01). The fibrocytes expressed a hierarchy of chemokine receptors, with CXCR4 expressed on the majority of cells and CCR2 and CCR7 expressed on a smaller subset. Almost half of fibrocytes demonstrated α-smooth muscle actin activation. Increased fibrocyte levels were associated with a higher reticulocyte count (P = 0.03) and older age (P = 0.048) in children with SCA. However, children with increased levels of fibrocytes were not more likely to have asthma or lower percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 sec/forced vital capacity (FEV1 /FVC) or FEV1 than those with lower fibrocyte levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of fibrocytes in children with SCA compared to controls may be due to hemolysis. Longitudinal studies may be able to better assess the relationship between fibrocyte level and pulmonary dysfunction.

Author List

Karafin MS, Dogra S, Rodeghier M, Burdick M, Mehrad B, Rose CE, Strieter RM, DeBaun MR, Strunk RC, Field JJ

Author

Joshua J. Field MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Anemia, Sickle Cell
Asthma
Child
Child, Preschool
Cohort Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Humans
Lung Diseases, Interstitial
Male
Pulmonary Fibrosis
Reticulocytes
Young Adult