ABSTRACT
Aim:Granulocyte differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) is a growth factor andbiomarker for many disorders where Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is pathophysiologically relevant. Hence theneed to evaluate GDF-15 as a biomarker inSickle Cell Disease (SCD).Study Design:This is a cross sectional study.Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology, Nnamdi University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra state, Nigeria, between January and December 2018.Methods:Ninety subjects were randomly recruitedwith haemoglobin (Hb) phenotypesSS (test),AS and AA (controls); numbering30,28and 32 respectively. Disease severity was determined by calculating an objective score. 5 mls of blood was collectedandused to determine Full Blood Count (FBC),haemoglobin Phenotype andGDF-15 levels(byEnzymeLinked Immunosorbent assay).Data collected was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 20 (SPSS Inc., IL, Chicago, USA). P< 0.05 was considered as significant.Results: GDF-15 level was found to be significantly differentin the different HB phenotypes p= 0.005 and correlated negatively with sickle cell disease severity (r= -0.307, p= 0.098). The difference betweenmedianGDF-15 levels of HBSS subjects with mild and moderate disease was statistically significant at p= 0.01.Conclusion:We hypothesize that GDF-15 maybeapotential therapeutic target for intervention against ischaemia/reperfusion inducedmicro-vascularinjury.Natural GDF-15 mimetics maybe useful in taking advantage of this potential therapeutic target.