Circulating Endothelial Cell Quantification by Microfluidics Chip in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

• Published in: American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology Vol. 56; no. 5; pp. 680 - 682
• Main Authors: Sallmon, Hannes, Hatch, Adam, Murthy, Shashi K, Plouffe, Brian D, Hansmann, Georg
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Thoracic Society 01.05.2017
• Subjects: Age; Biomarkers; Cardiovascular disease; Congenital diseases; Correspondence; Flow cytometry; Heart; Insulin resistance; Patients; Pediatrics; Pulmonary hypertension; Studies
• ISSN: 1044-1549; 1535-4989
• DOI: 10.1165/rcmb.2017-0026LE

[...]the average time between first symptoms and the diagnosis of PAH is >2 years (2, 3). [...]early diagnosis and adequate risk stratification is pivotal in providing optimal, individualized ("tailored") therapies for PAH. [...]circulating endothelial cells (CECs) have been discussed as potential biomarkers in PAH with or without congenital heart disease. To test the clinical applicability of CEC quantification by microfluidic chip, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-whole blood was collected from 66 women with PAH (idiopathic PAH, drug-induced PAH, and connective tissue disease-associated PAH) and 6 healthy age- and sex-matched control subjects (Table 1). Obesity, insulin resistance, and age are known disease modifiers in PAH (5, 13). [...]we tested for correlations between CEC numbers and body mass index and age, but we did not find any according associations (Figure E2). The CEC capture chip is small (5 X 30 X 0.05 mm3), requires only 200-400 ml of whole blood without any preprocessing, and can principally be automated (Figure E3). [...]the CEC device represents a potential bedside test for the screening and monitoring of patients with PAH and other diseases related to vascular injury. Unspecific early vascular injury occurs in PAH and may be associated with increased CECs, regardless of the underlying pathomechanism. [...]longitudinal data are required to assess whether CECs measured by our device adequately reflect the clinical course in those patients. Regarding this, it is important to note that CECs are increased in pediatric patients with PAH and can be used to discriminate between reversible and irreversible PAH associated with cardiovascular shunts in...