Ischemia-modified albumin, brain natriuretic peptide, and growth differentiation factor-15 levels in patients with nasal polyps.

Objective: Nasal polyps (NP) are a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa; their etiology is suspected to involve oxidative stress. Growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) are biomarkers used especially in the early diagnosis and follow-up of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess levels of serum GDF-15, BNP, and IMA in patients with NP and to compare them with those of healthy subjects.

Methods: This was a prospective study enrolling 41 patients with NP and 48 healthy controls, all aged 18-65 years and referred to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, between January 2014 and February 2015. After a 12-h fast, venous blood (3mL) was drawn and centrifuged (3000rpm, 10min) to collect serum. Blood samples were drawn before endoscopic sinus surgery in the NP group. Serum GDF-15, BNP, and IMA levels were measured.

Results: GDF-15, BNP, and IMA levels of patients with NP were statistically significantly higher than in controls and GDF-15 values were higher than the normal upper limit. GDF-15, BNP, and IMA levels were significantly correlated in both groups.

Conclusions: As GDF-15 is a marker of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, our finding of increased serum GDF-15 in patients with NP supports the hypothesis that its pathogenesis involves chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.