ABSTRACT
To evaluate the level of plasma endothelin-1 in NIDDM with and without hypertension. Plasma ET-1 levels were evaluated [by enzyme immunoassay] in 50 subjects. Thirty patients with NIDDM [15 nor-motensive and 15 hypertensive] and twenty subjects serving as controls [10 hypertensive and 10 healthy normotensive]. Circulating ET-1 levels are significantly higher in normotensive NIDDM [2.41 +/- 0.36 ng/mL] and hypertensive NIDDM [2.63 +/- 0.44 ng/ml] when compared with healthy controls [0.73 +/- 0.14 ng/ml] and hypertensive controls [0.84 +/- 0.13 ng/ml] [P<0.001]. Also there are no significant correlations between plasma ET-1 levels and fasting blood glucose [r = 0.188. P>0.05], mean blood pressure [r = 0.129, P>0.05], duration of diabetes [r = 0.137, P>0.05] and age of subjects [r = 0.099. P>0.05] Significant plasma endothelin-1 elevation in diabetic subjects may relate to diabetic endothelial cell damage and in turn be an important background factor in diabetic vascular complications and endothelin-1 receptor antagonists may have a role in ameliorating this dysfunction