Plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis and a history of cerebral thromboembolism.

BACKGROUND Increased plasma endothelin-1 concentrations have been observed in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Endothelin-1 levels have never been investigated in patients with mitral stenosis and history of cerebral thromboembolism. METHODS We measured plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 in the peripheral venous blood samples obtained from 20 patients with moderate to severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (16 with permanent atrial fibrillation and 4 with sinus rhythm). Six patients had history of thromboembolism. The remaining 14 patients did not have history of thromboembolism. Plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were measured using solid phase sandwich enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay. RESULTS The peripheral venous concentrations of endothelin-1 of the six patients with history of thromboembolism did not differ from the concentrations of the 14 patients without history of thromboembolism (2.40 +/- 1.39 pg/ml vs. 2.49 +/- 0.66 pg/ml, p = 0.9). CONCLUSIONS Although plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were increased in patients with mitral stenosis, plasma endothelin-1 concentrations were not further elevated in patients with mitral stenosis and history of thromboembolism.