Silva Wellington Santos

Title : Resting blood BDNF in individuals with sickle cell disease and osteonecrosis

Abstract:

Introduction: Osteonecrosis is one of the most common musculoskeletal complications in sickle cell disease, which is a prevalent and particularly debilitating disorder in this population. Several studies have shown the relevance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as a biomarker in various diseases including sickle cell disease.

Objective: This study aimed to measure of BDNF levels in individuals with sickle cell disease and osteonecrosis and compare them with healthy individuals.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study. The patient sample consisted of 18 individuals with sickle cell disease and osteonecrosis of the hip, and 8 individuals formed the control group. BDNF levels were determined by the ELISA technique. Statistical analyzes were performed using the SPSS program (version 25.0).

Results: The median and interquartile values of plasma BDNF levels in the control group were 302,38 pg/mL (IQR = 253,48 – 378,82), while in the patient group it was 1.189,85 pg/mL (IQR = 652,44 – 1.922,86).

Conclusions: These altered levels of BDNF may be one of the main features for the maintenance of chronic pain in individuals with sickle cell disease and may help to understand the mechanisms underlying central sensitization, a maladaptive phenomenon in the brain that could possibly be present in this population.

Keywords: Osteonecrosis. Sickle Cell Diseases. BDNF. Chronic Pain.

Biography:

Silva Wellington Santos did his Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences (1991), Master's degree in Genetics and Evolution from the Federal University of São Carlos (1996). PhD in Molecular Pathology from the University of Brasilia (2007) and post-doctorate from the Postgraduate Program in Medicine and Health at the Federal University of Bahia (2016). He was a professor at Bahia Adventist College during the period 1999-2019 where he taught several subjects until he retired due to health problems. He was the creator of the Committee for Ethics and Research Involving Human Beings at Bahia Adventist College, of which he was coordinator for several years. His main line of research was Sickle Cell Diseases in Bahia, Brazil.