Summary: | The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of enothelin-1 (ET-1) in children and adolescents with high myopia and its association with the axial length of the eye and the presence of myopic retinal degeneration. The cross-sectional study was carried out in 57 patients with high myopia and 29 control subjects. Serum concentrations of ET-1 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. A significantly lower concentration of ET-1 in highly myopic patients compared to controls was found (1.47 (0.91; 1.87) vs. 1.94 (1.1; 2.69) pg/mL, <i>p</i> = 0.005). In patients with high myopia, a weak negative correlation between ET-1 concentration and the longest axial length out of the two eyes was found (<i>r</i> = −0.255, <i>p</i> = 0.0558). Further analysis revealed statistically significant differences in ET-1 concentration between patients with the axial length of the eye > 26 and ≤ 26 mm (<i>p</i> < 0.041) and patients with the axial length of the eye > 26 mm and controls (<i>p</i> < 0.001). ET-1 expression is disturbed in highly myopic children and adolescents. Lower ET-1 concentration in patients with the axial length of the eye > 26 mm may co-occur with high myopia and should be considered a risk factor in the pathophysiology of high myopia progression.
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