Preconditioning Serum Levels of Endothelial Cell-Derived Molecules and the Risk of Posttransplant Complications in Patients Treated with Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

Figure 4

Differences in the serum profile of soluble adhesion molecules derived from endothelial cells (endocan, E-selectin, and VCAM-1) are associated with posttransplant acute GVHD. Serum levels of endothelium-derived soluble adhesion molecules were compared for patients without acute GVHD, patients with skin GVHD alone, and patients with liver and/or gastrointestinal affection during acute GVHD. Serum levels of endocan were available for all 56 patients (11 with acute GVHD in the skin and 7 with liver/gut involvement); for VCAM-1 and E-selectin serum levels were available only for 50 consecutive/unselected patients (9 with acute GVHD in the skin only and 6 with liver/gut involvement). The statistically significant differences (Mann-Whitney test) are indicated in the figure.