Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and a history of cerebral thromboembolism.
BACKGROUND
Increased plasma endothelin-1 concentrations have been observed in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Endothelin-1 levels have never been investigated in patients with mitral stenosis and history of cerebral thromboembolism.


METHODS
We measured plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 in the peripheral venous blood samples obtained from 20 patients with moderate to severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (16 with permanent atrial fibrillation and 4 with sinus rhythm). Six patients had history of thromboembolism. The remaining 14 patients did not have history of thromboembolism. Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were measured using solid phase sandwich enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay.


RESULTS
The peripheral venous concentrations of endothelin-1 of the six patients with history of thromboembolism did not differ from the concentrations of the 14 patients without history of thromboembolism (2.40 +/- 1.39 pg/ml vs. 2.49 +/- 0.66 pg/ml, p = 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Although plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were increased in patients with mitral stenosis, plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were not further elevated in patients with mitral stenosis and history of thromboembolism.
Ma
Li-Chuan
LC
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung.
Chen
Mien-Cheng
MC
Chang
Hsueh-Wen
HW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000097:blood*; D012214:Rheumatic Heart Disease / Q000097:blood*
D019332:Endothelin-1