Objective: To study adrenomedullin (AM) in rat and human lung during hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.
Methods: Normobaric hypoxic pulmonary hypertension animal model was adopted, pulmonary artery pressure and RVdp/dt were measured. The changes of AM contents in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were studied. The plasma levels of AM in patients with pulmonary hypertension were measured.
Results: During hypoxia, pulmonary artery pressure, RVdp/dt, AM contents in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in rats increased. Plasma levels of AM were significantly higher in patients with pulmonary hypertension than in the control subjects.
Conclusions: AM may play an important role in developing hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats and human. The increase of AM level is in proportion to the extent of pulmonary hypertension.