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Endothelin‐1 in children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis and hypertension
Author(s) -
NICOLAIDOU POLYXENI,
GEORGOULI HELEN,
MATSINOS YIANNIS,
PSYCHOU FOTINI,
MESSARITAKI ANNA,
GOURGIOTIS DIMITRIS,
ZEIS PETROS
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1046/j.1442-200x.2003.01661.x
Subject(s) - medicine , plasma renin activity , endothelin 1 , endocrinology , blood pressure , aldosterone , atrial natriuretic peptide , fractional excretion of sodium , endothelin receptor , creatinine , natriuretic peptide , angiotensin ii , blood plasma , renin–angiotensin system , heart failure , receptor
Background: Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1), the most potent vasoconstrictor peptide, is known to play a role in arterial hypertension. In patients with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) an increase in the production of ET‐1 is suspected due to damaged endothelium, platelet activation and increased thrombin production in the glomeruli. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the levels of plasma ET‐1 are elevated in children with APSGN. Furthermore, we examined the association between plasma ET‐1 levels and blood pressure levels in the same children.Methods: We studied 18 children (14 boys) with APSGN (mean age 7.44~2.82 years). Fourteen healthy children served as controls. The following parameters were evaluated: plasma ET‐1, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), plasma renin (Rn), serum aldosterone (Aldo), creatinine clearance (Ccr) and fractional excretion of sodium (FENa).Results: The mean plasma ET‐1 concentrations were higher in patients with APSGN (3.39~1.86 pg/mL) compared to controls (1.40~0.15 pg/mL; P =0.0001). Patients with APSGN also had higher plasma ANP concentrations (41.67~27.99 pg/mL) than the controls (22.80~4.24 pg/mL; P =0.011). Plasma Rn concentrations were lower in patients (24.54~16.34 μU/mL) compared to controls (56.76~32.36 μU/mL; P =0.027). A positive correlation was found between ET‐1 plasma concentrations and the height of systolic or diastolic blood pressure ( r =0.57, P =0.013 and r =0.53, P =0.023, respectively).Conclusions: Our results suggest that increased plasma ET‐1 concentrations may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in children with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.