title: Circulating endothelin-1 concentrations in acute respiratory failure.
abstract: To elucidate the pathophysiologic role of endogenous endothelin (ET)-1 in acute respiratory failure, we measured plasma immunoreactive ET-1 levels in 13 patients with acute respiratory failure, and compared those with hemodynamic and respiratory parameters. The mean plasma ET-1 levels (10.7 +/- 5.0 pg/ml) in 13 patients with acute respiratory failure at the time of hospital admission were about sevenfold greater than those of healthy subjects (1.5 +/- 0.5 pg/ml, n = 16). Plasma ET-1 levels positively correlated with right atrial pressure (r = 0.626), systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.726), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.591), and the resistance ratio (pulmonary vascular resistance/systemic vascular resistance) (r = 0.658). They also showed correlations with peak airway pressure (r = 0.588), mean airway pressure (r = 0.607), and airway resistance (r = 0.756). Stepwise multiple regression analysis confirmed the significance of these observations. Our data suggest that raised circulating ET-1 levels may partly contribute to the development of pulmonary vasoconstriction and bronchoconstriction associated with acute respiratory failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitaka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amaha
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000403:Airway Resistance; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins