title: Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and a history of cerebral thromboembolism.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung.
authors.forename: Li-Chuan
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Mien-Cheng
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hsueh-Wen
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1