Document 0839
 DOCN  M9650839
 TI    [Ocular microangiopathy syndrome in patients with AIDS is associated
       with increased plasma levels of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1]
 DT    9605
 AU    Geier SA; Rolinski B; Sadri I; Kronawitter U; Bogner JR; Klauss V;
       Goebel FD; Augenklinik im Universitatsklinikum Rudolf Virchow,
       Alexander; von Humboldt Universitat Berlin.
 SO    Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd. 1995 Dec;207(6):353-60. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/96150945
 AB    OBJECTIVE: Ocular microangiopathic syndrome is the most frequent
       ophthalmic finding in patients suffering from the acquired
       immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ocular microvascular changes including
       cotton-wool spots are closely associated with neuroretinal and cognitive
       deficits in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type
       1 (HIV-1). Endothelin-1 is a recently identified cytokine with potent
       vasoconstrictor activity which is associated with various diseases
       involving vascular structures. METHODS: We studied 29 patients with AIDS
       by indirect ophthalmoscopy and by slit lamp biomicroscopy, and
       endothelin-1 immunoreactivity (IR) was measured in plasma by
       radioimmunoassay. Cotton-wool spots were counted as indicator of retinal
       microvasculopathy. Conjunctival bloodflow sludging in conjunctival
       vessels was measured by a standardized rating scale as indicator of
       conjunctival microvasculopathy. Parameters of immunosystemic damage were
       determined as covariates. RESULTS: Endothelin-1 IR was closely
       associated with the number of cotton-wool spots (Spearman r = 0.53, p <
       0.01) and with the extent of conjunctival blood-flow sludging (r = 0.61,
       p < 0.001). The level of significance became stronger applying analysis
       of covariance with Endothelin-1 IR as dependent variable and number of
       cotton-wool spots (p < 0.0001) or extent of conjunctival blood-flow
       sludging (p < 0.0001) as independent variables. CONCLUSION: Our data are
       consistent with the hypothesis that the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 has
       an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV-1-related ocular
       microangiopathic syndrome. As HIV-1-related ocular microangiopathic
       syndrome is associated with neuroretinal and cognitive deficits in
       patients with HIV-1 disease the therapeutic use of endothelin
       antagonists currently under investigation should be discussed.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/BLOOD/*DIAGNOSIS  Adult
       Endothelins/*BLOOD  English Abstract  Human  *HIV-1  Male
       Microcirculation/PHYSIOLOGY  Ophthalmoscopy  Retinal
       Diseases/BLOOD/*DIAGNOSIS  Syndrome  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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