title: [The clinical significance of plasma endothelin measurement in acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical significance of plasma endothelin (ET) contents in patients with acute organophosphorus pesticide poisoning (AOPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  69 cases of AOPP were divided into 3 groups: mild poisoning, moderate poisoning and severe poisoning groups. 25 healthy subjects served as controls. The contents of plasma ET of the patients and healthy subjects were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was noted between the contents of plasma ET of the control and the mild group (50.85 +/- 8.93) ng/L vs (56.18 +/- 12.80) ng/L, P > 0.05. The contents of plasma ET of mild cases were only slightly increased. The contents of plasma ET in the moderate (72.61 +/- 14.21 ng/L) and serve group (110.32 +/- 17.38 ng/L) were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). The contents of plasma ET in the moderate were significantly higher than those of the mild group (P < 0.01). The contents of plasma ET in the serve group were significantly higher than those of the moderate (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the increase of AOPP severity, the contents of plasma ET elevated gradually. Plasma ET may serve as an important index for the clinical course, therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of AOPP. Early regression of the contents of plasma ET may play an active role in preventing and curing multiple system organ failure resulted from AOPP and in improving the prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China.
authors.forename: Chengyun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Jingguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Longyin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Jianping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D011041:Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D016232:Endothelins; D007306:Insecticides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds