Adrenomedullin plasma concentrations in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

• Published in: Clinical biochemistry Vol. 38; no. 8; pp. 735 - 738
• Main Authors: Vingolo, E.M., Lupo, S., Domanico, D., Cotesta, D., Petramala, L., Grenga, R., Letizia, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.08.2005
• Subjects: Adrenomedullin; Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Peptides - blood; Photoreceptor Cells - metabolism; Retinitis pigmentosa; Retinitis Pigmentosa - blood; Syndromic retinitis pigmentosa; Syndromic retinitis pigmentosa; Adrenomedullin; Retinitis pigmentosa
• ISSN: 0009-9120; 1873-2933
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2005.04.007

To evaluate the relationship between retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and plasma adrenomedullin (ADM) levels. Blood samples were obtained from a group of 40 consecutive patients with RP matched with 35 healthy subjects (HS) as control. We carried out a complete ophtalmological examination. The study group included 26 patients with RP and 14 patients with syndromic RP. Plasma ADM levels were determined in duplicate with a specific radioimmunoassay method. In the HS plasma ADM levels were 13.7 ± 6.1 pg/mL. The mean of plasma ADM concentrations in all patients with RP (23.4 ± 10.7 pg/mL) was significantly ( P < 0.0001) higher than that of HS. Moreover, in the syndromic RP patients, plasma ADM levels (28.6 ± 14.35 pg/ml) were higher than those of HS and RP patients ( P < 0.0017). The increase of plasma ADM levels in RP patients may be a response to photoreceptor damage.