[Diagnostic significance of urinary endothelin concentration]

We investigated plasma Endothelin concentration (s-ET) and urinary Endothelin concentration (u-ET) in eleven patients undergoing subtotal esophagectomy through r-thoracal and abdominal approach for esophageal cancer (nine men and two women). S-ET and u-ET, sodium excretions fraction (FENa), free-water clearance (CH2O, uric NAG Index, creatinine clearance rate (Ccr), primary water balance (PWB) and primary sodium balance (PNB) were measured during the perioperative period till the 7th day. Urinary Endothelin concentration in the postoperative 3 and 6 hours, and the 2nd postoperative day were significantly higher than preoperative value. No significant values were obtained in plasma Endothelin Highly significant correlations were obtained between urinary Endothelin concentration and FENa, CH2O, PWB and PNB. Furthermore, u-ET was well correlated with s-ET. We concluded that the measurement of u-ET may be useful as an indicator of renal tubular function and global renal functions with high sensitivity.