title: Endothelin-1 plasma concentrations in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the behaviour of plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in patients affected by retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and syndromic RP.
  
  
  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 ophthalmological examination. The study group included 26 patients with RP and 14 patients with syndromic RP. Plasma ET-1 levels were determined in duplicate with a specific radioimmunoassay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the HS plasma ET-1 levels were 7.48+/-2.58 pg/mL. The mean of plasma ET-1 concentrations in all patients with RP ( 16.2+/-5.6 pg/mL) was significantly (P<0.01) higher than that of HS. Moreover, in the syndromic RP patients, plasma ET-1 levels (18.9+/-6.8 pg/mL) were higher than those of HS and RP patients (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase of plasma ET-1 levels in RP patients suggests that ET-1 may play a role in the pathophysiology of the diseases involving retinal pigment epithelial cells and the retinal vascular system such as RP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome Sapienza, A. Fiorini Hospital Terracina (LT), Italy.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Vingolo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lupo
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Grenga
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zinnamosca
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cotesta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petramala
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Letizia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1