title: Plasma endothelin-1 levels in Takayasu's arteritis.
abstract: We measured plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in patients with Takayasu's arteritis to investigate its relationship with the disease activity. We also measured plasma thrombomodulin (TM) levels as a marker of endothelial injury. A significant positive correlation was evident between plasma ET-1 levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESRs) in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (r = 0.53, p < 0.005). In contrast, plasma levels of TM did not show a significant correlation with ESRs (r = -0.13) ET-1, secreted in this way during the active stages of Takayasu's arteritis, may cause constriction and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and, as a result, progression of luminal narrowing of the affected vessels in this disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D018450:Disease Progression; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019332:Endothelin-1; D018180:Thrombomodulin