ANGIOPATHY AFFECTS CIRCULATING ENDOTHELIN-1 LEVELS IN TYPE-2 DIABETIC-PATIENTS

To evaluate the role of endothelin-l (ET-1), a vasoconstrictor and mit ogenic peptide synthesized by endothelial cells, on the endothelial dy sfunction in non-insulin-dependent diabetic (type 2) patients? we have measured the circulating ET-1 levels in 25 patients with and without clinically evident vascular complications and in a control group, Circ ulating ET-1 levels were significantly higher in diabetic patients wit h angiopathy than in diabetics without angiopathy and in controls (7.0 2+/-2.9 pg/ml vs 4.4+/-1.1 pg/ml and 3.08+/-0.7 pg/ml, respectively; P <0.001). No difference was demonstrated between diabetic patients with out angiopathy and controls. These findings suggest that ET-1 may be a marker for arterial vascular disease only in patients with overt angi opathy. It is unclear whether it participates in the endothelial injur y process or it is merely released from damaged endothelial cells.