Endothelin-1 Serum Concentration is Lower in Children and Adolescents with High Myopia, a Preliminary Study

• Main Authors: Katarzyna Powierza, Beata Żelazowska-Rutkowska, Jolanta Sawicka-Powierza, Bożena Mikołuć, Beata Urban, Wojciech Zaremba, Bogdan Cylwik, Alina Bakunowicz-Łazarczyk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical Medicine
• Subjects: endothelin-1; high myopia; axial length of eye; children; adolescents
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/9/5/1327

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.