Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: To assess ET1 levels in diabetic patients with and without microangiopathy, and compared with normal subjects, nondiabetic, without underlying vascular pathology.

Introduction: The pathophysiology of diabetic microangiopathy is complex and many important aspects of it still are not fully understood. Endothelial dysfunction is of major importance in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and diabetic angiopathy. ET-1 is one of the most potent vasoconstrictors described and has been suggested to be involved in the development of cardiovascular disease.

Subjects and methods: We analyzed a group of 21 diabetic patients, 8 women and 13 men, aged (X±SD) of 61.3±12.6 years (range 21–78) with an evolution of diabetes in 8.4±9 years (range 1–30). 2 patients had type 1 diabetes and 19 had type 2 diabetes. The 67% was on insulin therapy and 52% had microvascular involvement. The control group were 34 persons, 21 women and 13 healthy men, aged 46±21.1 years (range 24–78 years) without known pathology. Statistical analysis was carried out by SPSS. ET1 was performed by RIA Levels.

Results: ET1 levels in diabetic patients without microvascular disease (n=10) were 5.6±3 vs 8.09±2.74 pg/ml (P=0.026) in the diabetic group affections of microangiopathy (n=11). In the control group (n=34) ET1 levels were 3.71±1.87 pg/ml.

Conclusions: – ET1 levels in diabetic patients, predominantly type 2, with microangiopathy appear to be higher than in the group did not affect microvascular disease.

– The absence of microvascular disease raises no ET1 levels in diabetic patients compared to control subjects.

– The production and the plasma levels of ET-1 are elevated in patients with diabetes, and a positive correlation between plasma ET-1 levels and diabetic microangiopathy has been reported, suggesting a potential role of the endothelin system in the pathophysiology of vascular complications in diabetes.

References: 1. Ak G, Buyukberber S, Sevinc A, Turk HM, Ates M, Sari R & Savli H. The relation between plasma endothelin-1 levels and metabolic control, risk factors, treatment modalities, and diabetic microangiopathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 2008 80 299–304.

2. Schneider, N. Tilly, T. Hierl, et al. Elevated plasma endothelin-1 levels in diabetes mellitus. American Journal of Hypertension 2002 15 967–972.

3. Gursel Aka, Suleyman Buyukberbera,*, Alper Sevinca, H Mehmet Turka, Mehmet Atesa, Ramazan Saria, Haluk Savlia & Ahmet Cigli, The relation between plasma endothelin-1 levels and metabolic control, risk factors, treatment modalities, and diabetic microangiopathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications 2001 15 150.