Reduced thirst in patients with a vasospastic syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To compare thirst, drinking behaviour, and endothelin-1 (ET-1) plasma levels between vasospastic and non-vasospastic subjects.


METHODS
We compared 67 subjects with a primary vasospastic syndrome with 64 age- and sex-matched non-vasospastic control subjects. A detailed medical history was recorded, including a questionnaire containing queries about thirst and drinking behaviour, history of migraine or unspecific headache, history of episodes of low blood pressure, and smoking habits. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated and blood samples were drawn for ET-1 measurements.


RESULTS
Subjects with a vasospastic syndrome reported a reduced desire to drink and a lower estimated quantity of daily fluid intake, more often forgot to drink, more often had both migraine and unspecific headache, more often had episodes of low blood pressure, and had an increased plasma level of ET-1. These features differed statistically significantly between the two groups. There was also a non-significant trend among vasospastic subjects to smoke less and to have a smaller BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
A reduced desire to drink is found frequently among vasospastic subjects.
Teuchner
Barbara
B
University Eye Clinic, Basel, Switzerland.
Orgül
Selim
S
Ulmer
Hanno
H
Haufschild
Timo
T
Flammer
Josef
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013577:Syndrome; D013894:Thirst / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation
D019332:Endothelin-1