Endothelin-1 plasma concentration in children and adolescents with atherogenic risk factors.

Background: Endothelial injury is the main stimulus for endothelin-1 (ET-1) secretion - a strong vasoconstricting agent. The role of endothelial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis which already develops in childhood, has been recently underlined.

Aim: To asses plasma ET-1 concentration in children and adolescents with such atherogenic risk factors as hypertension, obesity or diabetes.

Methods: The study group consisted of 105 children and adolescents in the mean age of 15.3+/-2.4 years who were divided into 5 groups: (1) hypertension, (2) obesity and hypertension, (3) obesity, (4) diabetes and (5) diabetes with hypertension. The control group was composed of 32 healthy subjects of appropriate weight, aged 14.7+/-2.9 years. Plasma concentration of ET-1 was measured using the enzymatic method ELISA (R and D Systems).

Results: ET-1 plasma concentration was significantly higher in the whole study group than in controls (0.71 vs 0.40 pg/mL; p<0.05) as well as in each studied subgroup compared with healthy subjects (0.63 pg/mL, p<0.05; 0.88 pg/mL p<0.05; 0.96 pg/mL, p<0.05, 0.60 pg/mL, p<0.05, and 0.63, p<0.05, respectively). There was a significant correlation between ET-1 concentration and body mass index in the whole study group (p=0.001) as well as cholesterol (p=0.018) and triglyceride (p=0.001) levels. In the group of patients with hypertension, ET-1 correlated with body mass index (p=0.023) and systolic blood pressure (p=0.02).

Conclusions: Children and adolescents with hypertension, obesity or diabetes have higher ET-1 plasma concentration than healthy subjects. ET-1 level correlates with body mass index, lipid parameters and systolic blood pressure.