Clinical significance of serum gastrin, C-reactive protein and D-dimer in Henoch-Schönlein purpura children with abdominal symptoms

Abstract

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of serum gastrin-17, C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer (D-D) levels in early diagnosis and severity evaluation of Henoch-Scholein purpura (HSP) children with abdominal symptoms. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed in 120 children with initial HSP admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from December 2016 to December 2017, among them, there were 70 cases with abdominal symptoms, and 50 patients without abdominal symptoms.And 20 healthy children who underwent health consultation at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were selected as a healthy control group.Serum gastrin-17, CRP and D-D levels in acute phase in the HSP children were detected, and the correlation between these parameters and purpura symptom scores was analyzed.Together with gastroscope, the severity of HSP with abdominal symptoms was evaluated. Results (1) Serum gastrin-17 level in HSP children with abdominal symptoms were obviously lower than that of the other of type HSP group and the healthy control group [(3.12±1.64) pmol/L vs.(6.85±1.28) pmol/L and (7.15±1.03) pmol/L], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001); the levels were decreased most significantly in HSP children with early gastrointestinal symptoms [(1.77±0.50) pmol/L vs.(4.01±1.51) pmol/L], and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001); the pathological changes under gastroscope were obvious in HSP children with early gastrointestinal symptoms (χ2=8.095 2, P<0.05). (2) Serum CRP and D-D levels in the HSP children with abdo-minal symptoms were striking higher than those in the healthy control group [(18.39±4.48) mg/L vs.(3.95±1.65) mg/L; (2.53±1.17) mg/L vs.(0.59±0.41) mg/L], and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.001), which were both increased most significantly in the HSP children with early gastrointestinal symptoms [(19.98±5.45) mg/L vs.(17.33±3.37) mg/L; (3.48±0.96) mg/L vs.(1.89±0.80) mg/L], and the diffe-rences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (3) Serum gastrin-17 level was negatively correlated with purpura symptom scores (r=-0.907, P<0.01); serum CRP and D-D levels were both positively correlated with purpura symptom scores (r=0.974, 0.928, all P<0.01). Conclusions Serum gastrin-17, CRP and D-D levels in acute phase can be used as serological markers for early diagnosis of HSP children with abdominal symptoms, especially in HSP children with early gastrointestinal symptoms. Key words: Gastrin; C-reactive protein; D-dimer; Purpura symptom score; Abdominal type of Henoch-Scholein purpura