Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations are elevated in acute hepatitis and liver cirrhosis but not in chronic hepatitis

Abstract

We measured plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations in 20 healthy controls and 63 patients with liver diseases including 9 cases of acute hepatitis (AH), 14 cases of chronic hepatitis (CH), 24 cases of liver cirrhosis (LC), 11 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with LC (HCC), 3 of primary biliary cirrhosis and 2 of idiopathic portal hypertension. ET-1 levels in AH (5.07 +/- 2.54 pg/ml, mean +/- SD), LC (3.71 +/- 1.17) and HCC (3.08 +/- 0.93) were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (2.18 +/- 0.37). ET-1 levels in AH, LC and HCC were also significantly higher than those in CH (2.05 +/- 0.61). ET-1 levels showed negative correlations with serum albumin levels and Ch-Ease activities, and positive correlations with serum bilirubin levels, AST and ALT activities. However, there was no correlation between plasma ET-1 concentrations and concentrations of serum thrombomodulin which is known to be a marker of injured vascular endothelial cells. In cirrhotic patients, ET-1 levels were significantly influenced by the presence of ascites. The results of the present study suggest that plasma ET-1 concentrations may be a useful clinical indicator for use in the follow-up of patients with chronic liver diseases, e.g., progression from CH to LC, and change in grade of portal hypertension and decompensation in LC.

Ursodeoxycholic acid reduces increased circulating endothelin 2 in primary biliary cirrhosis

“…There are papers reporting that cirrhotic patients have significantly higher levels of ETs and this increase is mostly due to an increase in ET-1 and ET-3 in some cases in proportion to the severity of liver damage. [27][28][29][30][31][32][33] By contrast, other studies report that this difference is not significant 31,34 in patients without ascites. As reported elsewhere, 23 these discrepancies could be due to either methodological differences or inclusion of cirrhotics of varying aetiology and severity.…”

“…Previous studies are conflicting. There are papers reporting that cirrhotic patients have significantly higher levels of ETs and this increase is mostly due to an increase in ET‐1 and ET‐3 in some cases in proportion to the severity of liver damage 27–33 . By contrast, other studies report that this difference is not significant 31, 34 in patients without ascites.…”

Levels of circulating endothelin‐1 and nitrates/nitrites in patients with virus‐related hepatocellular carcinoma

“…Increased levels of ET‐1, and big‐ET‐1, a precursor form of ET‐1, have been reported previously in HCC [17–20]. All these studies did not focus, however, on virus‐related HCC.…”

Changes in portal venous hemodynamics in patients with severe acute hepatitis over one year

“…The mechanism of portal hemodynamic changes probably involves a regeneration process. In the early stage of liver regeneration, levels of some common chemomediators such as tumor necrosis factor and nitric oxide [26][27][28][29] are elevated. These factors may induce vasodilatation, systemic hyperdynamic circulation, and increased blood flow to the liver.…”