title: Cerebrospinal fluid endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 levels in normal and neurosurgical patients: a clinical study and literature review.
abstract: Endothelins are a family of structurally related, potent, long-lasting vasoconstrictor peptides. There are no established normal human levels of endothelin-1 or endothelin-3 in the cerebrospinal fluid. We measured cerebrospinal fluid endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 levels in five groups of patients: normal controls, patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and cerebral vasospasm, patients with severe head injuries, patients undergoing temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy, and a patient with a gunshot injury to the thoracic spine. Endothelin-3 levels were significantly elevated in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and may participate in cerebral vasospasm and subsequent neurologic deterioration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Louis University Medical Center, Missouri 63110-0250.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bucholz
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Knuepfer
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000601:surgery; D016232:Endothelins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000502:physiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012016:Reference Values; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000601:surgery; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins