title: Endothelin-1 levels and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship of plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, and urinary albumin excretion in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study was conducted in 279 patients (132 males, mean age: 58.7+/-11.0 years, mean DM duration: 11.3+/-8.1 years). Urinary albumin excretion, ET-1, and insulin were measured. Insulin sensitivity was estimated by homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-ir) index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ET-1 was associated with urinary albumin excretion after controlling for age, gender, body mass index, blood pressure, HbA1c test, and total cholesterol (R=0.436; adjusted R(2)=0.190, P<0.01). Furthermore, there was a progressive increase in plasma ET-1 levels from patients with normoalbuminuria (n=187, 0.92+/-0.50pg/ml), microalbuminuria (n=68, 1.13+/-0.52pg/ml) to macroalbuminuria (n=24, 1.93+/-1.10pg/ml, P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an independent association of plasma ET-1 levels with urinary albumin excretion. In addition, plasma ET-1 levels started to increase in the normal values of urinary albumin excretion suggesting that in patients with type 2 DM endothelial dysfunction is already present, in urinary albumin excretion values considered normal.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Division, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudete M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Zanatta
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gerchman
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burttet
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nabinger
authors.forename: Maria C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Jacques-Silva
authors.forename: Luís H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Canani
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Gross
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1