Plasma endothelin-1 levels in Behçet's disease.

Plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1), a vasoconstrictor peptide released from vascular endothelial and synovial cells, were measured by radioimmunoassay in 27 patients with Behçet's disease (BD) and 18 healthy controls. The plasma ET-1 concentrations were found to be significantly increased in patients with BD (121.15 +/- 11.6 fmol/dl) compared with the healthy subjects (89.37 +/- 8.03 fmol/dl p < 0.05). The elevation of ET-1 did not correlate with the disease duration, gender, ocular or articular involvement. Whether the elevated ET-1 level is a direct result of its increased synthesis from injured vascular endothelial cells or whether its presence in high concentrations may be responsible, together with other factors for both vascular and articular complications in patients with BD is uncertain.