Endothelin-1 plasma concentration in children and adolescents with atherogenic risk factors.
BACKGROUND
Endothelial injury is the main stimulus for endothelin-1 (ET-1) secretion - a strong vasoconstricting agent. The role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis which already develops in childhood, has been recently underlined.


OBJECTIVE
To asses plasma ET-1 concentration in children and adolescents with such atherogenic risk factors as hypertension, obesity or diabetes.


METHODS
The study group consisted of 105 children and adolescents in the mean age of 15.3+/-2.4 years who were divided into 5 groups: (1) hypertension, (2) obesity and hypertension, (3) obesity, (4) diabetes and (5) diabetes with hypertension. The control group was composed of 32 healthy subjects of appropriate weight, aged 14.7+/-2.9 years. Plasma concentration of ET-1 was measured using the enzymatic method ELISA (R and D Systems).


RESULTS
ET-1 plasma concentration was significantly higher in the whole study group than in controls (0.71 vs 0.40 pg/mL; p<0.05) as well as in each studied subgroup compared with healthy subjects (0.63 pg/mL, p<0.05; 0.88 pg/mL p<0.05; 0.96 pg/mL, p<0.05, 0.60 pg/mL, p<0.05, and 0.63, p<0.05, respectively). There was a significant correlation between ET-1 concentration and body mass index in the whole study group (p=0.001) as well as cholesterol (p=0.018) and triglyceride (p=0.001) levels. In the group of patients with hypertension, ET-1 correlated with body mass index (p=0.023) and systolic blood pressure (p=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Children and adolescents with hypertension, obesity or diabetes have higher ET-1 plasma concentration than healthy subjects. ET-1 level correlates with body mass index, lipid parameters and systolic blood pressure.
Głowińska
Barbara
B
IInd Department of Pediatrics, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.
Urban
Mirosława
M
Hryniewicz
Andrzej
A
Peczyńska
Jadwiga
J
Florys
Bozena
B
Al-Hwish
Mortada
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
D019332:Endothelin-1