Endothelin-1 and NO2/NO3 Circulating Levels after Short-Term (1h) Oxygen Supplementation in Patients with Chronic Respiratory Failure During Long-Term Oxygen Treatment (LTOT)

AbstractThe effect of acute oxygen administration on endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitrates (NO-2/NO-3), the latter as stable end products of nitric oxide (NO), were evaluated in arterial and venous blood of chronic respiratory failure (CRF) patients underwent to a continuous long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). After one hour of oxygen supplementation, ET-1 showed a marked and significant decrease more pronounced in venous blood whereas no statistical change in NO-2/NO-3 concentrations were observed in both arterial and venous blood. There are evidences for increased expression of ET-1 in several pulmonary diseases and for ET-1 plasma reduction in Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in patients which recovered. ET-1 is a potent human pulmonary vessel constrictor and may have other effects including plasma exudation, increased mucus secretion and a increased fibrinogenesis. Our data suggest that the improvement in air function, evaluated in part by the decreased release of inflammatory mediators and mainly b...