2004•Unpublished venueRequires access
Endothelin (1-21) levels in various degrees of alcoholic liver cirrhosis
Nataša Antoljak, Nena Peran, Nada Vrkić, Antonija Jurak Begonja, Marko Duvnjak, Elizabeta Topić
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Abstract
Alcoholic liver cirrhosis is one of the major organ diseases in chronic alcoholics. In Croatia, during the year 2002, 1363 people have died and 3869 were hospitalized due to alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis. Great efforts are done in researching the pathogenesis of changes during liver fibrosis. Endothelin (ET) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide, made up of 21 amino acids. It is produced and released from endothelial cells in the form of preproendothelin. Endothelin-induced contraction of stellatae cells contributes to the increase of portal pressure. Liver cirrhosis is accompanied by the onset of ascites, portal hypertension and chabges of systemic and regional hemodynamics. Increased ET levels have been reported in liver cirrhosis patients related to the deranged systemic circulation. The aim of this study was to compare ET (1-21) levels in patients with various degrees of alcoholic liver cirrhosis as well as with some clinical data. ET (1-21) was measured in plasma by ELISA test (Biomedica, Graz, Austria) with a detectable linit of 0.05 pmol/L. Sixty proven alcoholic liver cirrhosis patients and 86 healthy volunteers, matched for sex and age, were included in study. Statistical analysis was made using Sigmastat and Excel computer programs. ET (1-21) levels were significantly higher in patients (0.55, range 0- 6.19) than in the healthy control group (0.12, range 0-1.67 pmol/L, p<0.001). Patients with ascites as well as with esophageal varices had higher values than healthy patients. Only the patients with the most severe degree of liver disease had higher ET values compared to the other subgroups and healthy volunteers. Negative correlations were found between ET (1-21) and serum albumins, prothrombine time and sodium (r = -0.36, r = 0.37, r = -0.33) respectively and positive correlations with gamma-globulins (r = 0.44, p<0.05). Clinical accuracy of ET (1-21) is high (P = 0.72, p = 0.05), so it might be a useful marker of vascular changes in these patients.