Endothelin-1 plasma concentrations in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
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.
Vingolo
E M
EM
Department of Ophthalmology, University of Rome Sapienza, A. Fiorini Hospital Terracina (LT), Italy.
Lupo
S
S
Grenga
P L
PL
Salvatore
S
S
Zinnamosca
L
L
Cotesta
D
D
Petramala
L
L
Letizia
C
C
D000328:Adult; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012174:Retinitis Pigmentosa / Q000097:blood*
D019332:Endothelin-1