Peripheral plasma vitamin D and non-HDL cholesterol reflect the severity of cerebral cavernous malformation disease.

AIM: To correlate cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) disease aggressiveness with peripheral blood biomarkers hypothesized mechanistically.

PATIENTS &

METHODS

A prospective case-control study enrolled 43 CCM patients, where 25-(OH) vitamin D, HDL and non-HDL cholesterol, CRP plasma levels and leukocyte ROCK activity were correlated with parameters of disease aggressiveness reflecting chronic and acute domains.

RESULTS

Patients with one or more features of chronically aggressive disease (early age at symptom onset, two or more symptomatic bleeds, high lesion burden) had significantly lower 25-(OH) vitamin D and non-HDL cholesterol levels in comparison to patients without these features.

CONCLUSION

Validation of these biomarkers and their potential treatment modulation may influence the clinical care of patients with CCM disease.