Plasma and Urine Endothelin Concentrations in Patients with Diffuse Interstitial Lung Disease.

Lee, Jong Deog; Lee, Sang Do; Lim, Chae Man; Koh, Youn Suck; Kim, Woo Sung; Kim, Dong Soon; Kim, Won Dong

doi:1998.45.2.360

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 45(2); 1998 > Article

Original Article

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1998;45(2):360-368.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1998.45.2.360 Published online April 1, 1998.

Plasma and Urine Endothelin Concentrations in Patients with Diffuse Interstitial Lung Disease.

Jong Deog Lee, Sang Do Lee, Chae Man Lim, Youn Suck Koh, Woo Sung Kim, Dong Soon Kim, Won Dong Kim

¹Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, GyeongSang National University, Chinju, Korea.
²Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Ulsan Univeristy, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Endothelin(ET), a potent vasoconstrictor peptide produced by endothelial cells and degraded predominantly in the pulmonary vasculature, have been implicated in the development of various organ dysfunctions. Plasma concentrations of ET-1 are reported to be elevated in patients with diffuse interstitial lung disease(DILD). But, there is no study to establish the exact source and mechanisms involved in the increased plasma ET-1 concentrations in DILD patients. METHODS: 12 patients with IPF, 2 patients with sarcoidosis, 2 patients with scleroderma, 1 patient with SLE and 11 healthy volunteers were studied. ET was detected by radioimmunoassay in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) as well as in 24-hr urine specimens. For each subjects, arterial/venous(A7V) ET ratio and renal ET clearance were calculated. RESULTS: Elevated plasma, urine and BALF ET concentrations were found in patients with DILD compared with controls. But, no significant difference was observed in ET A/V ratio and ET renal clearance between patients with DILD and controls. CONCLUSION: We observed that plasma ET concentrations were elevated in patients with DILD, and that the main site of ET production may be lung parenchyme.

Key Words: Endothelin, Diffuse interstitial lung disease