PLASMA ENDOTHELIN-1 LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH ALDOSTERONE-PRODUCING ADENOMA AND PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA

The aim of the study was to evaluate possible changes of plasma endoth elin-1 levels (ET-1) in patients with hypertension secondary to primar y aldosteronism and pheochromocytoma. We enrolled in the study: 12 pat ients affected by aldosterone-producing adenoma (5 M and 7 W; mean age 42.1 +/- 17.2 years); 8 patients with pheochromocytoma (5 M, 3 W; mea n age 36.2 +/- 17.1 years); 15 patients with essential hypertension (9 M, 6 W; mean age 48.5+/-10 years). We also enrolled a normal control group (8 M, 12 W; mean age 34.2 +/- 11 years). The mean plasma ET-1 co ncentrations in patients with pheochromocytoma were significantly high er (23.9 +/- 5.2 pg/ml) than those in normal subjects (7.3 +/- 1.9 pg/ ml), in patients with primary aldosteronism (12.1 +/- 3.8 pg/ml) and i n patients with essential hypertension (9.2 +/- 3 pg/ml); p < 0.001, r espectively. The present investigation demonstrates that in human adre nal hypertension patients with pheochromocytoma have increased circula ting ET-1 levels respect to patients with aldosterone-producing adenom a.