Abstract
Abstract: :
Purpose:The novel hypotensive peptide, adrenomedullin(AM), was discovered from the tissue of pheochromocytoma. The expression of AM in plasma has been seen not only as the controller of blood pressure, but also as playing a part in the acute inflammatory reaction, stimulated by cytokines. Behcet’s disease (BD) is inflammatory disorder that may frequently cause profound ocular blindness. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of AM in the course of BD. Methods: Twenty-two patients with ocular BD and twenty-five healthy control subjects were included in this study. We measured plasma AM level by immunoradiometric assay, white blood cell count and titer of C reactive protein (CRP). The hypertensive peptide, endothelin (ET-1) was also measured by radioimmuno assay. Results:Mean±SD plasma AM level in patients with BD (13.68±5.86pmol/l) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than in healthy control volunteers ( 9.00± 2.13pmol/l). Plasma AM level were negatively correlated with the latency period of next ocular recurrence (p<0.05) and were positively correlated with the frequency of attacks in next six months(p<0.05). Inflammatory indexes such as blood cell count and CRP titer were significantly correlated with plasma AM level in the patients with BD(p<0.01). The plasma concentration of ET-1 and systolic blood pressure had no correlation with AM level. Conclusions: AM is considered to play a part of roles in the inflammatory recurrences in ocular Behcet’s disease.
Keywords: inflammation • uveitis-clinical/animal model • cytokines/chemokines