Plasma endothelin in chronic heart failure

• Published in: Circulation (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1992-04, Vol.85 (4), p.1374-1379
• Main Authors: MCMURRAY, J. J, RAY, S. G, ABDULLAH, I, DARGIE, H. J, MORTON, J. J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Atrial Natriuretic Factor - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiology. Vascular system; Endothelins - blood; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Test; Female; Heart; Heart Failure - blood; Heart Failure - physiopathology; Heart failure, cardiogenic pulmonary edema, cardiac enlargement; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Vasoconstriction - physiology
• ISSN: 0009-7322; 1524-4539
• DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.85.4.1374

Endothelins are recently characterized vasoconstrictor peptides. As chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by peripheral arteriolar and renal vasoconstriction, we have measured venous plasma endothelin-like immunoreactivity ("endothelin") in patients with this syndrome. Compared with age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers (mean +/- SEM plasma endothelin concentration 6.4 +/- 0.3 pmol/l, n = 16), patients with severe CHF had elevated peripheral venous endothelin concentrations (12.4 +/- 0.6 pmol/l, n = 47, p less than 0.01). Plasma endothelin did not increase with exercise in normal subjects or in patients. Plasma endothelin concentration (mean, 13.4 +/- 0.9 pmol/l) did not correlate with plasma atrial natriuretic factor concentration (mean, 88.9 +/- 11.9 pg/ml) in patients with CHF (n = 21). There was also no correlation between plasma endothelin and serum urea or between endothelin and serum creatinine in patients with CHF (n = 34). There was, however, significant renal extraction of endothelin (aorta, 11.1 +/- 0.8 pmol/l; renal vein, 8.8 +/- 0.6 pmol/ml; p = 0.02) in patients with CHF (n = 13). Evidence suggests that circulatory endothelin concentrations in the range 5-40 pmol/l are vasoactive. Consequently, the endothelin concentrations found in patients with CHF may be of pathophysiological significance.