title: A review of the effects of some endocrinological factors on respiratory mechanics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endocrinological factors have been recently described to affect respiratory mechanics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To review recent literature data, most of all obtained by the end-inflation occlusion method, describing the effects of molecules of endocrinological interest such as endothelin, erythropoietin and renin-angiotensin, on respiratory mechanics parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  The papers considered in this review were found by inserting in Pubmed/Medline the following indexing terms: hormones, endothelin, erythropoietin, angiotensin and respiratory mechanics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that the above cited molecules, beside their well known physiological main effects, exhibit influences on respiratory mechanics, most of all on the airflow resistance, which was described to be increased by endothelin and angiotensin, and decreased by erythropoietin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A number of molecules of biological interest exhibit unexpected influences on respiratory mechanics. The clinical effects depend on the consequences of modified inspiratory pressure values the respiratory muscles have to perform for a given breathing pattern.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Biomedical Sciences , University of Padova , Padova , Italy and.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.affiliation: b Centre of Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frigo
authors.affiliation: b Centre of Mechanics of Biological Materials, University of Padova , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele Luigi
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Carniel
mesh_terms: D000809:Angiotensins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D016232:Endothelins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012083:Renin / Q000378:metabolism*; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics
chemical_list: D000809:Angiotensins; D016232:Endothelins; D006728:Hormones; D004921:Erythropoietin; D012083:Renin
keywords: Angiotensin; end-inflation occlusion method; endothelin; erythropoietin; respiratory system mechanics