Evaluation of Arterial Endothelin-1 Levels, before and during a Sleep Study, in Patients with Bronchial Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Background: Endothelin (ET)-1 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The ET-1 levels are elevated during exacerbations of asthma and COPD in bronchoalveolar lavage, serum, and sputum, falling with treatment of the exacerbations. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the ET-1 blood levels in stable asthmatic patients and stable COPD patients during alertness and sleep. Materials and Methods: We examined 48 COPD and 20 asthmatic patients. All underwent forced spirometry, measurement of SaO₂ and of arterial ET-1 levels and nocturnal polysomnography. ET-1 levels were also determined during nocturnal oxyhaemoglobin desaturation. Results: The daytime SaO₂ level of our asthmatic patients was higher than that of our COPD patients (p < 0.001). Daytime SaO₂ level of our non-desaturator COPD patients was higher than that measured in desaturator COPD patients. Nightime SaO₂ level in our asthmatic patients was higher than that in our desaturator COPD patients (p < 0.001). Daytime ET-1 levels in desaturator COPD patients were higher than those observed in normal individuals, in non-desaturator COPD patients and in asthmatic patients. The COPD desaturator patients had higher levels of ET-1 during nighttime than during daytime (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Asthmatic patients did not exhibit desaturation of haemoglobin during the night. ET-1 levels are significantly higher in desaturator COPD patients compared with non-desaturator COPD patients, both during the day and during the night. ET-1 levels in stable COPD patients are significantly higher than in patients with stable asthma. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that ET-1 is implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD and asthma.

Serum and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid Endothelin‐1 Concentrations as Diagnostic Biomarkers of Canine Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

“…In blood, BALF or sputum, ET1 concentration has been shown to be either normal 17,33 or increased. [33][34][35][36][37] In the present study, no significant difference in serum ET1 concentration was found between dogs with CB and healthy dogs, although high concentrations were found in 2 animals with CB. The reason why some individuals in the CB group had increased serum ET1 concentrations is unknown, but is not related to features such as duration of clinical signs.…”

Increased vascular contractility in isolated vessels from cigarette smoking rats is mediated by basal endothelin release

“…Cigarette smoking is associated with increased levels of ET-1, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD, asthma and PH (Hay, 1999;Nikolaou et al, 2003). It is estimated that more than 80% patients with COPD have been cigarette smokers ) and that more than 50% of smokers have evidence of COPD (Lundback et al, 2003) .…”

Chronic peritoneal sepsis: myocardial dysfunction, endothelin and signaling mechanisms

“…ET-1 is implicated in the regulation of regional blood flow and maintenance of vascular tone (84). ET-1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of various diseases, including myocardial infarction (112), bronchial asthma (113), pulmonary hypertension (114), renal failure (115), and sepsis (13). Sharma et al (13), have demonstrated elevated plasma and myocardial ET-1 levels at 4, 8, 12-h post-sepsis induction that returned to baseline values 24-h later ( Figure 6).…”