title: Impaired effect of endothelin-1 on coronary artery stiffness in type 2 diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined whether there is a differential effect of endothelin-A antagonism on coronary artery compliance in type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to non-diabetic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 32 patients, 11 type 2 diabetes mellitus and 21 non-diabetic patients, with atherosclerotic epicardial arteries free of significant luminal stenoses. Intracoronary BQ-123 (6 micromol), an endothelin-A receptor antagonist, was infused over 20 min. The artery lumen area in the proximal arterial segment was measured at end diastole and end systole before and after BQ-123 administration using an intravascular ultrasound catheter. Calculations were made of normalized arterial compliance index, in mm Hg(-1) x 10(3) and of arterial stiffness index beta.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pulse pressure and heart rate did not change after BQ-123. In type 2 diabetes mellitus, normalized compliance index decreased from 1.79+/-1.36 at baseline to 1.29+/-0.82 after BQ-123 administration, whereas in non-diabetic patients it increased from 2.10+/-1.36 to 3.00+/-2.07 (p<0.05 versus baseline) (F=6.39, p=0.02). In type 2 diabetes mellitus, beta index increased from 1.97+/-0.53 to 2.46+/-0.95, whereas in non-diabetic patients it decreased from 1.83+/-0.95 to 1.63+/-0.84 (F=7.80, p=0.009). Big endothelin-1 at baseline was correlated with the baseline beta index (p<0.0001, r=0.68).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Big endothelin-1 is correlated with the coronary artery stiffness. The effect of endogenous endothelin-1 on coronary artery stiffness is impaired in type 2 diabetes mellitus. This may have important therapeutic implications with respect to the introduction of endothelin receptor antagonists as cardiovascular therapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Red Cross Hospital, Athens, Greece. zskyr@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Zenon S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Kyriakides
authors.forename: Dimitrios Th
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kremastinos
authors.forename: Athanasios E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Raptis
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Sotirios A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Raptis
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Webb
authors.forename: Stamatis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kyrzopoulos
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sbarouni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D003187:Compliance; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology; D010496:Pericardium; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
chemical_list: D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin; C072247:cyclo(Trp-Asp-Pro-Val-Leu)