title: Big endothelin in patients with complicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
abstract: Plasma concentrations of big endothelin-1 were determined by ELISA in 18 patients with complicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Bangkok. Before therapy, elevated levels were recorded (21 +/- 12 vs. 2.9 +/- 1.1 pmol/L in age- and sex-matched healthy subjects; P < .001). Even 7 days after therapy, elevated concentrations were seen (25 +/- 14 pmol/L). Plasma endothelin levels were correlated with levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (r = .632, P < .01), and a negative correlation with platelet counts was seen (r = .783, P < .005). No relation between plasma endothelin concentrations and parasitemia, fever, or other indices of severe infection (hypotension, renal, hepatic or pulmonary impairment, cerebral malaria) existed. During and after complicated malaria, increased levels of plasma endothelin could contribute to malarial pathology or reflect endothelial damage or both.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wenisch
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wenisch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilairatana
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Looareesuwan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vannaphan
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Graninger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schönthal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rumpold
mesh_terms: D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000209:etiology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D010976:Platelet Count; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D019332:Endothelin-1; D016232:Endothelins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000077332:Artesunate