C. Letizia et al., Plasma levels of endothelin-1 increase in patients with sarcoidosis and fall after disease remission, PANMIN MED, 43(4), 2001, pp. 257-261
Background. Sarcoidosis is a chronic systemic disease, characterized by an
imbalance of immunity processes and the presence of granuloma.
Endothelin-1, a new vasoactive and bronchoconstrictive peptide, is a powerf
ul mitogen for smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts and plays a role in the
inflammation state. We postulate that endothelin-1 has a role in sarcoidosi
s. Methods. We studied the behaviour of circulating levels of endothelin-1
in 20 patients with sarcoidosis and its correlation with some biochemical p
arameters of activity disease, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE). We measured serum levels o
f ESR, SACE, calcium and plasma endothelin-1 levels in all patients at the
beginning of the study and one again in 9 patients with clinical-biochemica
l remission of disease after steroid treatment.
Results. In patients with sarcoidosis, circulating levels of endothelin-1,
SACE and ESR were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those of healthy su
bjects. Moreover, in patients with pulmonary involvement, there was a signi
ficant statistical difference (p < 0.001) between endothelin-1 levels and r
adiological stage compared to normal subjects. In the 9 patients with remis
sion of disease, both endothelin-1 levels and parameters of activity diseas
e normalized.
Conclusions. Our results seem to suggest that the increase of plasma endoth
elin-1 levels in active sarcoidosis can represent an expression of the endo
thelial dysfunction and reflect the picture of cellular activation.