Serum endothelin-1 and hepatocyte growth factor levels in patients with obstructive jaundice.
OBJECTIVE
Endothelin-1, a potent vasoconstrictive peptide, is known to modulate changes in local circulation. Additionally, hepatocyte growth factor, a potent mitogen for hepatocytes, is increased in various liver diseases. The present study examined changes in serum endothelin-1 and hepatocyte growth factor levels in patients with obstructive jaundice before and after percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage.


METHODS
Endothelin-1 and hepatocyte growth factor levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using sera from 16 patients with obstructive jaundice before and after percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage.


RESULTS
Serum endothelin-1 levels decreased rapidly in the good bilirubin decrease group after biliary drainage. Endothelin-1 levels decreased 1 week after drainage but then increased gradually in the worse bilirubin decrease group. Serum hepatocyte growth factor levels decreased gradually after biliary drainage, and were higher in the worse bilirubin decrease group than in the good bilirubin decrease group throughout the study.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that endothelin-1 may be associated with the microcirculatory disturbance in obstructive jaundice and prolonged cholestasis. Measurement of hepatocyte growth factor levels in patients with obstructive jaundice before percutaneous transhepatic cholangio drainage may be an early clinical predictor of the subsequent rate of decrease of the serum bilirubin concentration.
Higaki
I
I
Second Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School, Osaka, Japan.
Yamazaki
O
O
Matsuyama
M
M
Horii
K
K
Kawai
S
S
Tsukamoto
T
T
Tanaka
H
H
Kubo
S
S
Hirohashi
K
K
Kinoshita
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D004322:Drainage; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019332:Endothelin-1; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D001663:Bilirubin