Radio-immuno assay estimation of plasma endothelin levels in patients with bilharzial and post viral liver cirrhosis: a possible new additive factor in aggravation of portal hypertension.

Radio immunoassay estimation of plasma endothelin level was carried out in 90 patients with bilharzial and post viral chronic liver diseases with portal hypertension associated with bleeding and non bleeding oesophageal varices as well as 10 normal control subjects. It was found that plasma endothelin level was significantly elevated in such patients when compared to normal controls. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between the elevated levels of plasma endothelin and portal vein diameter as well as bleeding oesophageal varices. It may be concluded that plasma endothelin, which is a very potent vasoconstrictor for both systemic and portal circulation, plays an important role in aggravation of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis.