Elevated endothelin-1 plasma concentration in patients with essential hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) may play an important role in the development and maintenance of hypertensive states. In patients with essential hypertension, ET-1 plasma concentration increases or remains unchanged. The aim of the present study was to investigate ET-1 plasma concentration in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension and its interrelationship with catecholamines, neuropeptide Y and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP).


METHODS
The study included 37 patients (mean age 38.2 +/- 1.6 years) with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. The control group consisted of 21 healthy volunteers (mean age 35.6 +/- 1.4 years). ET-1, neuropeptide Y and ANP were determined by radioimmunoassay methods and catecholamine plasma concentration was determined radioenzymatically.


RESULTS
Our study shows that plasma ET-1 and neuropeptide Y levels are elevated in patients with essential hypertension compared with a control group. No correlation was found in either of the groups between plasma ET-1 level and plasma neuropeptide Y, catecholamine or ANP concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that ET-1 is relevant in the development and maintenance of elevated blood pressure.
Januszewicz
A
A
Department of Hypertension and Angiology, Academy of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland.
Lapiński
M
M
Symonides
B
B
Dabrowska
E
E
Kuch-Wocial
A
A
Trzepla
E
E
Ignatowska-Switalska
H
H
Wocial
B
B
Chodakowska
J
J
Januszewicz
W
W
D000328:Adult; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000097:blood
D002395:Catecholamines; D016232:Endothelins; D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor