STUDY OBJECTIVES: Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by a poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to investigate possible correlations between endothelin (ET)-1 and big ET-1 plasma levels and the severity of PPH. PATIENTS: Sixteen consecutive patients with PPH were included. INTERVENTIONS: Hemodynamics of patients with PPH were measured by right-heart catheterization, and a 6-min walk test was performed. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma levels of the biologically active peptide ET-1 and its precursor big ET-1 were determined in blood samples from the pulmonary artery, peripheral artery, and peripheral vein by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: A strong correlation was shown between pulmonary vascular resistance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, cardiac index, 6-min walk data, and elevated plasma levels of big ET-1 as well as mature ET-1 plasma levels at all sites of blood sampling (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of circulating ET-1 might become a prognostic marker for patients with PPH and serve as a tool for the selection of patients who may benefit from treatment with ET-receptor antagonists.
STUDY OBJECTIVES:Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a rare disease of unknown etiology that is characterized by a poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to investigate possible correlations between endothelin (ET)-1 and big ET-1 plasma levels and the severity of PPH. PATIENTS: Sixteen consecutive patients with PPH were included. INTERVENTIONS: Hemodynamics of patients with PPH were measured by right-heart catheterization, and a 6-min walk test was performed. MEASUREMENTS: Plasma levels of the biologically active peptide ET-1 and its precursor big ET-1 were determined in blood samples from the pulmonary artery, peripheral artery, and peripheral vein by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: A strong correlation was shown between pulmonary vascular resistance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, cardiac output, cardiac index, 6-min walk data, and elevated plasma levels of big ET-1 as well as mature ET-1 plasma levels at all sites of blood sampling (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of circulating ET-1 might become a prognostic marker for patients with PPH and serve as a tool for the selection of patients who may benefit from treatment with ET-receptor antagonists.
Authors: Harry Karmouty-Quintana; Hongyan Zhong; Luis Acero; Tingting Weng; Ernestina Melicoff; James D West; Anna Hemnes; Almut Grenz; Holger K Eltzschig; Timothy S Blackwell; Yang Xia; Richard A Johnston; Dewan Zeng; Luiz Belardinelli; Michael R Blackburn Journal: FASEB J Date: 2012-03-13 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: Jeffrey N Divino; Kashmira S Chawla; Christina M da Silva; Ashley M Bjorge; Andrew Brittingham Journal: Vet Immunol Immunopathol Date: 2010-02-13 Impact factor: 2.046