@article{3078095,
    title = "The Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) levels are increased in patients with compound heterozygous sickle cell and beta-thalassemia (HbS/β thal ), correlate with markers of hemolysis, iron burden, coagulation, endothelial dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension",
    author = "Larissi, K. and Politou, M. and Margeli, A. and Poziopoulos, C. and Flevari, P. and Terpos, E. and Papassotiriou, I. and Voskaridou, E.",
    journal = "BLOOD CELLS MOLECULES AND DISEASES",
    year = "2019",
    volume = "77",
    pages = "137-141",
    publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",
    issn = "1079-9796",
    doi = "10.1016/j.bcmd.2019.04.011",
    keywords = "blood clotting factor;  ferritin;  growth differentiation factor 15;  hepcidin;  hydroxyurea;  biological marker;  cytokine;  GDF15 protein, human;  growth differentiation factor 15;  hemoglobin beta chain;  iron, acute chest syndrome;  adult;  aged;  apoptosis;  Article;  beta thalassemia;  blood clotting;  cerebrovascular accident;  clinical evaluation;  clinical feature;  cohort analysis;  controlled study;  Doppler echocardiography;  endothelial dysfunction;  erythroblast;  female;  gene expression regulation;  hemolysis;  human;  iron overload;  laboratory test;  lung artery pressure;  major clinical study;  male;  oxidative stress;  priority journal;  protein blood level;  pulmonary hypertension;  sickle cell anemia;  upregulation;  beta thalassemia;  blood;  blood clotting;  complication;  endothelium cell;  genetics;  hemolysis;  heterozygote;  metabolism;  middle aged;  pulmonary hypertension;  sickle cell anemia;  very elderly;  young adult, Adult;  Aged;  Aged, 80 and over;  Anemia, Sickle Cell;  beta-Globins;  beta-Thalassemia;  Biomarkers;  Blood Coagulation;  Cytokines;  Endothelial Cells;  Female;  Growth Differentiation Factor 15;  Hemolysis;  Heterozygote;  Humans;  Hypertension, Pulmonary;  Iron;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Young Adult",
    abstract = "The clinical manifestations of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) include episodes of vascular occlusion, chronic hemolytic anemia and frequent infections. GDF-15, a multifactorial cytokine, is a member of the transforming growth factor- superfamily. Expression of the GDF-15 gene in cardiomyocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells is strongly upregulated in response to oxidative stress, inflammation and tissue injury, while high levels of serum GDF-15 associate with ineffective erythropoiesis and may reflect a certain type of bone marrow stress or erythroblast apoptosis. In this context we aimed to evaluate GDF-15 levels in 89 patients with HbS/β thal at steady phase and in 20 apparently healthy individuals, and correlate with clinical features of the disease and markers of hemolysis, iron burden, inflammation, coagulation and endothelial dysfunction. We found that: GDF-15 levels were elevated in patients with HbS/β thal compared to controls (1980.7 ± 159.8 vs 665.4 ± 50.9 pg/mL, p < 0.0001) and correlated significantly with LDH (p < 0.001), Hepcidin-25/Ferritin molar ratio (p = 0.002), vWF:antigen (p < 0.05), HbA% (p < 0.001) and Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate for first time an important multifactorial role of GDF-15 in patients with HbS/β thal , however, prior to its clinical usefulness, this biomarker must undergo through rigorous validation in multiple cohorts. © 2019"
}