Elevated Levels of Circulating Angiotensin Converting Enzyme in Patients with Hepatoportal Sclerosis
- نوع فایل : کتاب
- زبان : انگلیسی
- مؤلف : Yavuz Beyazit Mehmet I˙ bis Tugrul Purnak Turan Turhan Murat Kekilli Mevlut Kurt Abdurrahim Sayilir I˙brahim Koral Onal Nesrin Turhan
- چاپ و سال / کشور: 2011
Description
Background and Aims Hepatoportal sclerosis (HPS) is a clinicopathologic condition that is clinically characterized by portal hypertension (varices and portosystemic collateral vessels), splenomegaly and pancytopenia, in the absence of cirrhosis. Although the etiology is obscure, a number of theories such as immunologic and vascular endothelial cellular abnormalities have been put forward to explain the underlying pathophysiology. Angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE), an important molecule of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS), is also known as a regulatory molecule in systemic and portal circulation in distinct disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible role of the ACE in the context of RAS in HPS pathogenesis. Materials and Methods The study was conducted on 30 HPS patients (16 men, 14 women;median age 36 years, range 18–63) and 20 healthy controls. The clinical features of HPS patients including demographics, laboratory, and ultrasonography findingswere summarized. SerumACE levels were measured by using commercially available kits. Results Serum medianACElevels were 36 (8–174) U/l and 16 (8–43) U/l for the HPS patients and controls, respectively. Serum ACE levels were significantly higher in patients with HPS compared to the control group (P\0.05). Conclusion ACE in the context of RAS may be associated with pathological endothelial occlusive events in the microenvironment of the portal circulation in HPS. Revealing the interactions between circulating and local RAS within the hepatic microenvironment would enlighten the
Dig Dis Sci (2011) 56:2160–2165 DOI 10.1007/s10620-011-1580-7 Received: 5 December 2010 / Accepted: 11 January 2011 / Published online: 3 February 2011
