[A clinical study on the relationship between endogenous carbon monoxide and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension].
OBJECTIVE
To study the plasma level of endogenous carbon monoxide (CO) in patients with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP) and its relationship with endothelin-1 (ET-1) and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH).


METHODS
There were examinations on the plasma levels of endogenous CO and ET-1 in 33 patients with CCP, and their correlation with PaO(2) and the ratio of right ventricular pre-ejection period to the pulmonary flow acceleration time (RVPEP/AT), an indicator of pulmonary hypertension. Thirty healthy subjects served as normal controls.


RESULTS
The levels of endogenous CO, ET-1 and the ET-1/CO ratio in acute exacerbation and remission in the CCP group [CO: (1.34 +/- 0.18) mg/L, (1.07 +/- 0.14) mg/L; ET-1: (82 +/- 15) ng/L, (57 +/- 10) ng/L; ET-1/CO: 61 +/- 6, 53 +/- 5] were higher than those in the normal control group [CO: (0.55 +/- 0.12) mg/L, P < 0.001; ET-1: (27 +/- 9) ng/L, P < 0.001; ET-1/CO: 48 +/- 7, P < 0.05]. The levels of plasma endogenous CO, ET-1, and the ET-1/CO ratio in acute exacerbation were higher than those in the remission stage (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.05). The level of endogenous CO was negatively correlated with PaO(2) (r = -0.733, P < 0.01; r = -0.672, P < 0.01) and positively correlated with RVPEP/AT (r = 0.620, P < 0.01; r = 0.557, P < 0.01). The ET-1/CO ratio was positively correlated with RVPEP/AT (r = 0.501, P < 0.01; r = 0.485, P < 0.05) in patients with acute exacerbation or in remission.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased level of plasma endogenous CO in patients with CCP suggests the involvement of CO in the pathophysiologic process of HPH. An imbalance between ET-1 and CO may be involved in the development of HPH.
Liu
Ya
Y
Department of Respiratory Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Sun
Peizong
P
Ouyang
Songyun
S
Wang
Dongxin
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000097:blood*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood
D019332:Endothelin-1; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D010100:Oxygen