Rj. Stratton et al., Soluble thrombomodulin concentration is raised in scleroderma associated pulmonary hypertension, ANN RHEUM D, 59(2), 2000, pp. 132-134
Objective-To investigate the expression of thrombomodulin in scleroderma as
sociated pulmonary hypertension.
Methods-Soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), was measured in plasma samples from 3
4 scleroderma patients shown to have pulmonary hypertension at echocardiogr
am, and comparison drawn against samples from 38 scleroderma control patien
ts, acid 20 healthy controls. Serial measurements of sTM were performed in
the 34 patients with scleroderma associated pulmonary hypertension to inves
tigate possible changes in sTM concentration with progression of the condit
ion.
Results-Mean sTM was raised in scleroderma associated pulmonary hypertensio
n when compared with scleroderma controls (mean sTM 65.4 ng/ml v 43.3 ng/ml
, p<0.05), and when compared with healthy controls (mean sTM 38.1 ng/ml, p<
0.05). There was no significant difference between mean sTIM in scleroderma
controls and healthy controls. Mean sTM concentration did not change with
progression of pulmonary hypertension.
Conclusion-Plasma sTM is raised in scleroderma associated pulmonary hyperte
nsion. The pathogenesis of scleroderma associated pulmonary hypertension ma
y be distinct from the pathogenesis of other forms of pulmonary vascular di
sease.