Adrenomedullin plasma concentrations in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationship between retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and plasma adrenomedullin (ADM) levels.


METHODS
Blood samples were obtained from a group of 40 consecutive patients with RP matched with 35 healthy subjects (HS) as control. We carried out a complete ophtalmological examination. The study group included 26 patients with RP and 14 patients with syndromic RP. Plasma ADM levels were determined in duplicate with a specific radioimmunoassay method.


RESULTS
In the HS plasma ADM levels were 13.7 +/- 6.1 pg/mL. The mean of plasma ADM concentrations in all patients with RP (23.4 +/- 10.7 pg/mL) was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than that of HS. Moreover, in the syndromic RP patients, plasma ADM levels (28.6 +/- 14.35 pg/ml) were higher than those of HS and RP patients (P < 0.0017).


CONCLUSIONS
The increase of plasma ADM levels in RP patients may be a response to photoreceptor damage.
Vingolo
E M
EM
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
Lupo
S
S
Domanico
D
D
Cotesta
D
D
Petramala
L
L
Grenga
R
R
Letizia
C
C
D053607:Adrenomedullin; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000097:blood*
D010455:Peptides; D053607:Adrenomedullin