[The relationship between the plasma levels of endothelin and angiopathy in diabetic patients].

Plasma levels of endothelin (ET), vasoconstrictor peptide released from vascular endothelial cells, have been measured by radioimmunoassay in 48 patients with NIDDM and 20 healthy subjects. The plasma ET concentrations were found to be greatly elevated in the patients with diabetes compared with the healthy subjects (P < 0.001). We also find that the plasma levels of ET were higher in diabetic patients with complication of diabetes mellitus than in those without complication (P < 0.02). The elevated ET levels were related to hypertension and/or diabetic angiopathy. There were no significant correlations between plasma ET concentrations and blood glucose, HbA1 et al. In diabetic patients elevated ET levels may play a pathophysiological role in the development of diabetic complication.