title: Endothelin-1 plasma concentrations in depressed patients and healthy controls.
abstract: Depression and cardiovascular morbidity are known to be associated. So far, however, the pathophysiological link between these conditions is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that in depressed hypercortisolemic patients endothelin-1 (ET-1) plasma concentrations are increased and contribute to the cardiovascular risk. Diurnal plasma concentrations of cortisol and ET-1 were measured in 29 healthy controls and 22 depressed patients. ANCOVA did not reveal a significant effect of diagnosis or age upon ET-1 concentrations. However, only in depressed patients, cortisol plasma concentrations tended to be positively related to ET-1 concentrations. We conclude that ET-1 is not increased in depressed patients, but within this group, hypercortisolemia may be associated with increased ET-1 concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Central Institute of Mental Health, J5, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lederbogen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Colla
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Heuser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deuschle
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D006854:Hydrocortisone