rss
Br J Ophthalmol 1998;82:498-503 doi:10.1136/bjo.82.5.498
  • Original Article
    • Clinical science

Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations in patients with retinal vein occlusions

  1. Alessandro Iannacconea,
  2. Claudio Letiziaa,b,
  3. Sebastiano Pazzagliaa,
  4. Enzo M Vingoloa,
  5. Giovanni Clementeb,
  6. Mario R Pannaralea
  1. aInstitute of Ophthalmology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy, bInstitute of Internal Medicine II, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
  1. Alessandro Iannaccone, MD, University of Tennessee Department of Ophthalmology, Coleman Building, Suite D-228, 956 Court Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
  • Accepted 9 December 1997

Abstract

AIMS To investigate whether plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstricting peptide that is crucial in regulating retinal blood flow, were elevated in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

METHODS ET-1 plasma concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassays in a double blind fashion in a group of 18 selected patients with RVO, in 20 healthy age matched non-smoking, normoglycaemic, normotensive control subjects, and in 15 patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension in the same age range.

RESULTS Patients with RVO had significantly increased ET-1 plasma levels (14.22 (SD 4.6) pg/ml) compared with both normal subjects (7.90 (1.6) pg/ml; p < 0.05) and hypertensive patients (8.50 (2.9) pg/ml; p <0.05). The highest concentrations of circulating ET-1 were found in patients with RVO of the ischaemic type (16.97 (3.5) pg/ml; p < 0.01; n = 7). Systemic hypertension alone did not account for the observed increase in plasma ET-1 concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS These findings raise the possibility that the increased circulating ET-1 levels in patients with RVO may be a marker of the occlusive event, thereby suggesting that ET-1 homeostasis may be relevant to RVO pathogenesis and retinal ischaemic manifestations.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Register for free content

    The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.