Changes of Souble ICAM-1 Levels in Patients with Tsutsugamushi Disease

Lee, Heung Bum; Koh, Hyeon Woo; Kim, Hyong Sik; Moon, Sung Gi; Oh, Sang Mi; Lee, Yong Chul; Rhee, Yang Keun

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
ICAM-1 has been shown to be required for leukocyte migration into inflammed area and plays a significant role in inflammatory disease including bronchial asthma, and various infectious disease such as tuberculosis and malaria. Although, the significance of soluble ICAM-1(sICAM-1) in rickettial disease has not been recognized. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the sICAM-1 levels in patients with tsutsugamushi disease, and the correlation factors between sICAM-1 level and subject characteristics including clinical and laboratory indices.
METHODS
Eight normal controls and thirteen patients with tsutsugamushi disease underwent serum sampling for sICAM-1 level, which was measured by using ELISA kit.
RESULTS
1) sICAM-1 level is significantly elevated in patients group. 2) sICAM-1 level is a significantly correlation with AST level, titer of anti-tsutsugamushi antiboby, and leukocyte counts, but other factors such as age, sex, differential fraction of leukocyte, ALT, duration of fever, and total hospital day etc, are not.
CONCLUSION
These results show that sICAM-1 may be a role in the pathogenesis of tsutsugamushi disease.