Urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E 4 is associated with increased risk for pain and acute chest syndrome in adults with sickle cell disease

Leukotriene E 4 (LTE 4 ) levels are associated with rate of pain episodes in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Because complications of SCD manifest differently in adults than children, we examined a cohort of adults with SCD to determine the relationship between baseline LTE 4 and SCD‐related morbidity. Baseline LTE 4 levels were associated with increased rates of pain and acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes, when those with LTE 4 values in the highest tertile were compared with those in the lowest tertile (pain: risk ratio 7.1, 95% CI 1.8–27.5, P = 0.005; ACS: risk ratio 12.2, 95% CI 2.1–69.8, P = 0.005). Am. J. Hematol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.