Objective: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is postulated to play an important role in the development of cerebral vasospasm (CVS) following SAH. This study was conducted to investigate the time course of ET-release in three different sources: CSF, plasma and microdialysate.
Methods: In a prospective study ET-1-concentrations were measured in plasma, cisternal CSF and microdialysate in 20 patients with aneurysmal SAH for at least 8 days after hemorrhage.
Results: ET-1 concentration in microdialysate was almost four times higher compared to CSF and plasma. (p<0.001) Only in CSF ET-1-release showed a significant increase over time with highest values on day 5 post ictus (p = 0.03). This was parallel to the increase of transcranial Doppler velocities. ET-1 in plasma and microdialysate did not change over time.
Conclusion: ET-1 may have a different biological function in different biological tissues. Only ET-1 in CSF seemed to be associated with CVS.