Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008694 | Peptides | 2005 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
We studied circulating levels of endothelin-1, catecholamines and nitric oxide after a mental arithmetic test in 14 patients with early ischemic lesions of the extremities due to systemic sclerosis and slightly impaired peripheral vascular flow. The test induced an increase (P < 0.01) in blood pressure, heart rate, endothelin-1 and catecholamine levels, whereas it did not change the low basal levels of nitric oxide. In healthy subjects (n = 20) the test significantly (P < 0.01) decreased endothelin-1 without affecting nitric oxide. The low basal levels of nitric oxide and the high plasma concentration of endothelin-1 after psychological stress cannot be explained by an impaired release from the limited ischemic lesions alone. This suggests a diffuse microvascular derangement that aggravates the course of peripheral microvascular ischemic lesions.
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Authors
Fiorella Fontana, Pasquale Bernardi, Giuseppina Lanfranchi, Eleonora Conti, Santi Spampinato, Rosanna Di Toro, Francesca Bonafè, Sergio Coccheri,