Korean J Med.  1998 Jul;55(1):69-74.

Comparison of Endothelin Release in Bronchial Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Healthy Controls

• Chang JH

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Both bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) are defined as disease entities causing sudden exacerbation of dyspnea; the former is a reversible airflow obstruction and the latter partially reversible and characterized by slowly progressive airflow obstruction. There were several reports suggesting endothelin release during an acute exacerbation of asthma and COPD, however few report showed comparative data of asthma and COPD concomitantly. The author examined the release of endothelin in COPD in comparison with those in asthmatics and healthy controls.
METHODS
Plasma and 24 hour urine were collected from 33 asthmatics and 13 COPDs during an acute respiratory exacerbation and from 10 healthy controls. Endothelin was determined by radioimmmunoassay.
RESULTS
Plasma endothelins were elevated in asthma and COPD and there were no significant changes compared with controls. Endothelin excretion in 24 hour urine was significantly higher in asthma and COPD than in controls. Endothelin concentrations in 24 hour urine showed a negative correlation with FEV1.
CONCLUSION
Endothelins in 24 hour urine were increased in acute exacerbation of asthma and COPD and these increases were negatively correlated with FEV1 significantly. These findings are interpreted that endothelin contributes to the pathogenesis of acute exacerbation in asthma and COPD.

Keyword

Bronchial Asthma; COPD; Endothelin

MeSH Terms

Asthma*
Dyspnea
Endothelins*
Plasma
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive*
Endothelins