ABSTRACT
Objective To discuss the role of endothelicyte activation in the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH) and vascular remodeling. Methods A total of 10 patients with simple ventricular septal defect(VSD)of congenital heart disease(CHD)were choosen as controls, and 30 patients with different degree of PH were studied. Plasma levels of interleukin-1(IL-1), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) which represented the degree of endothelicyte activation were measured by radioimmunoassay and commercial available kit. The specimens taken from right lung before cardiopulmonary bypass were fixed by formaldehyde solution. The percentage of vascular wall thickness/vascular external diameter (WT/D) and the percentage of vascular area/total vascular area (WA/A) which represented vascular remodeling, were measured by QTM970 analysator. Results Compared with patients of simple VSD, the plasma levels of IL-1, ET-1/NO and WA/A, WT/D increased in patients with PH. Conclusion The activation of endothelicytes and imbalance of ET/NO play an important role in the development of PH and vascular remodeling. Positive correlations were seen between IL-1, ET-1/NO and WA/A, WT/D(P