Endothelin-1 concentration increases in the cerebrospinal fluid in cerebral vasospasm caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage.
BACKGROUND
Endothelin-1 (ET-1) was originally identified as a potent vasoconstrictor peptide. Numerous reports have suggested its roles in various disorders. Although there is a great deal of evidence establishing the relationship between ET-1 and cerebral vasospasm in animals, this relationship still remains to be clarified in humans.


METHODS
The concentration of ET-1 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 23 subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. CSF samples were collected every 10 days after surgery from the cisternal drainage tube.


RESULTS
Initial concentrations of ET-1 in the CSF collected the first day after operation were all increased compared with the control CSF. In seven of the eight vasospasm patients, the concentrations of ET-1 had increased before the observation of vasospasm and then decreased before the disappearance of the vasospasm. In 13 out of the 15 patients without vasospasm, the concentrations of ET-1 in CSF decreased with time.


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed that the concentration of ET-1 in CSF increased before the onset of cerebral vasospasm caused by subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ET-1 concentration in the CSF could be a useful marker to detect cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Suzuki
K
K
Department of Neurosurgery, Tsukuba Medical Center, Tsukuba City, Japan.
Meguro
K
K
Sakurai
T
T
Saitoh
Y
Y
Takeuchi
S
S
Nose
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications*; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000209:etiology*
D019332:Endothelin-1