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Sickle cell patients are characterized by a reduced glycocalyx volume

¹ Department of Hematology, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
² Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
³ Immunology Department, Red Cross Blood Bank Foundation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles;
⁴ Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Correspondence: Bart J. Biemond, MD, PhD, Department of Haematology, F4-224, Academic Medical Centre, PO box 22660 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Phone: international +31.20.5665785. Fax: international +31.20.6919743 E-mail: b.j.biemond{at}amc.uva.nl

The glycocalyx is an important anti-inflammatory and anti-adhesive barrier at the luminal side of endothelial cells. Glycocalyx volume was significantly reduced in sickle cell patients (HbSS/HbSβ⁰–tha-lassemia median 0.47L, IQR 0.27–0.66, HbSC/HbSβ⁺-thalassemia 0.23L, 0.0–0.58) compared with controls (1x10⁹L, 0.52–1.77) (p=0.03). Reduced glycocalyx may be a new factor in the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease.