[Relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and plasma endothelin-1 concentration in senile patients with hypertension].
The relationship between carotid atherosclerosis and plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentration was studied in senile patients with essential hypertension. A total of 212 patients (83 M, 129 F; mean age, 63 years) with essential hypertension (WHO stage I-II), and 109 age-matched control subjects (mean age, 61 years) were enrolled in the study. The maximum thicknesses of the intima-media complex (IMTmax) in the right common carotid artery (CCA) and the right internal carotid artery (ICA) was measured by B-mode ultrasonography, and ET-1 was measured by enzyme immunoassay. ET-1 levels were significantly higher in the hypertensive patients than in the control subjects. In middle-aged patients (35-64 years old), IMTmax values of the ICA in patients with high ET-1 concentrations (ET-1 > or = 1.71 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in patients with normal ET-1 concentrations (ET-1 < 1.71 pg/ml). However, the IMTmax of the CCA did not show a similar correlation. In senile patients (65-83 years old), both the CCA and ICA IMTmax values were significantly higher in patients with high ET-1 concentrations than in those with normal ET-1 concentrations. These results indicate that high ET-1 levels in middle-aged patients with essential hypertension may play a role in the progression of ICA atherosclerosis. High ET-1 levels in senile patients with essential hypertension may cause progression of atherosclerosis in both the ICA and CCA.
Minami
S
S
First Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, Kashihara.
Yamano
S
S
Sawai
N
N
Nomura
K
K
Fukui
R
R
Takaoka
M
M
Yamamoto
Y
Y
Nakatani
A
A
Dohi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D019332:Endothelin-1