title: Endothelin-1 plasma concentration in children and adolescents with atherogenic risk factors.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: IInd Department of Pediatrics, Medical Academy, Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Głowińska
authors.forename: Mirosława
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hryniewicz
authors.forename: Jadwiga
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peczyńska
authors.forename: Bozena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Florys
authors.forename: Mortada
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Hwish
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1