Production of Endothelin‐1 Induced by Blood Transfusion in Premature Infants

摘要

AbstractWe demonstrated a relationship between blood transfusion and plasma ET‐1 levels in 10 premature infants with anemia. Changes in plasma ET‐1 and lipoperoxide levels, blood pressure and available oxygen before and after the blood transfusion were determined. Plasma ET‐1 levels were significantly elevated after blood transfusion (before: 8.0+2.8; after: 15.7+5.4 pg/ml, p<0.01). A positive correlation was observed between plasma ET‐1 levels and lipoperoxide levels (r = 0.887, p<0.01). There was a significant correlation between plasma ET‐1 levels and transfused blood volumes (r = 0.758, p<0.01). No positive correlation was observed between plasma ET‐1 levels and available oxygen. These results suggest that blood transfusion may be a stimulator of ET‐1 overproduction and that it may lead to tissue injury through an endothelin‐induced oxygen radical f