Serum and Urinary Resistin Levels in Henoch Schonlein Purpura

Background: Henoch Schonlein Purpura (HSP) is one of the most common vasculitic diseases of childhood. Considering the effects of resistin in inflammation, we hypothesized that resistin was important in the pathogenesis of HSP. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the serum and urinary resistin levels of patients with HSP and compare them with those of healthy subjects. Materials and Methods: The study was performed between March 2015 and September 2015 at University of Health Sciences, Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics. Fifteen children with HSP were evaluated during the acute phase and compared with fifteen healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Results: A total of 30 children, 15 of whom were in the HSP group participated in the study. There were fifteen children with a median age of 8.65 ± 4.35 years in the HSP group, of whom 9 (60%) were male and 6 (40%) were female. In the control group, there were 15 children with 6 (60%) males and 4 (40%) females, aged 3 to 16 years. The serum resistin level of the HSP group (53.96 ± 33.61 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that of the control group (19.46 ± 4.42 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). Similarly, the mean urinary resistin level of the patients in the HSP group (116,36 ± 69,54 ng/ml) was significantly higher than that in the control group (29,39 ± 29,66 ng/ml) (P < 0.001). In the HSP group there was no correlation between mean serum resistin level and CRP, WBC (r = 0.038, P = 0.892 and r = 0.236, P = 0.343, respectively). No statistically significant difference was observed with respect to the presence of arthritis (P = 0.439). Conclusions: The effects of resistin in vasculitic disorders have not been clearly demonstrated so far. In our study serum and urinary resistin levels were significantly higher in patients with acute stage of HSP than that in the healthy control group. According to our results, serum and urinary resistin levels could be used as a diagnostic or prognostic marker and be considered as a secondary epiphenomenon in children with HSP. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms by which serum and urinary resistin levels elevate in HSP patients with kidney involvement and relapses.