Endothelin and Big Endothelin Concentrations in Injured Patients

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Abstract
Endothelin is a novel endothelium-derived peptide with a potent vasoconstrictor effect.1 To elucidate the role of vascular endothelial cells after major trauma, we studied concentrations of endothelin-1 and big endothelin in 11 severely injured patients. The age of the patients (eight male and three female) ranged from 13 to 75 years (median, 23), and their injury-severity scores ranged from 21 to 57 (median, 32). All 11 patients were admitted to the hospital within three hours after trauma. After initial resuscitation and emergency surgery all 11 were transferred to the intensive care unit. Samples of central venous blood were drawn on admission to the hospital, after 6, 12, and 24 hours, and daily thereafter until the third day. Five milliliters of blood was collected in ice-cooled, EDTA-coated tubes, and plasma was immediately deep-frozen and stored at — 25°C. Concentrations of immunoreactive endothelin-1 and big endothelin were measured by radioimmunoassay (Biomedica, Vienna, Austria).2 , 3

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