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Plasma endothelinlike immunoreactivity levels in IDDM patients with microalbuminuria
A Collier1, J P Leach, A McLellan
1Diabetic Unit, Gart-Navel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK.
Objective:
To determine whether plasma endothelin, a potent vasoconstrictor and growth factor for vascular smooth muscle, is elevated in microalbuminuric insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients.
Research Design And Methods:
Plasma endothelinlike immunoreactivity was measured by radioimmunoassay in 15 microalbuminuric diabetic patients, 12 normoalbuminuric diabetic patients, and 12 control subjects.
Results:
The mean levels of plasma endothelinlike immunoreactivity were raised in the normoalbuminuric patients (8.4 pM [range 4.8-12.7 pM]; P less than 0.01) and the microalbuminuric patients (10.2 pM [range 5.6-31.1 pM]; P less than 0.001) compared with control subjects (6.1 pM [range 4.5-7.6 pM]). Plasma endothelinlike immunoreactivity was also higher in the microalbuminuric patients compared with the normoalbuminuric patients (P less than 0.05).
Conclusions:
The increase in plasma endothelinlike immunoreactivity further confirms endothelial dysfunction in diabetes and this increase in plasma endothelin may contribute to the vascular disease prevalent in diabetes.
Insights
Plasma endothelin levels are elevated in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, even before microalbuminuria appears. This increase in endothelin may contribute to vascular disease in diabetic patients.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Vascular Biology
- Nephrology
Background:
- Endothelin is a potent vasoconstrictor and smooth muscle growth factor.
- Endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of diabetes mellitus.
- Microalbuminuria is an early indicator of diabetic nephropathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma endothelin levels in microalbuminuric patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
- To compare endothelin levels between microalbuminuric, normoalbuminuric diabetic patients, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Radioimmunoassay was used to measure plasma endothelin-like immunoreactivity.
- Study included 15 microalbuminuric diabetic patients, 12 normoalbuminuric diabetic patients, and 12 control subjects.
Main Results:
- Plasma endothelin levels were significantly higher in both normoalbuminuric (P < 0.01) and microalbuminuric (P < 0.001) diabetic patients compared to controls.
- Microalbuminuric patients exhibited higher endothelin levels than normoalbuminuric patients (P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Elevated plasma endothelin in diabetes confirms endothelial dysfunction.
- Increased endothelin may play a role in the vascular complications observed in diabetes mellitus.