Repeated measurements of endothelin-1 precursor peptides predict the outcome in community-acquired pneumonia

Excessive activation of the endothelium is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with systemic infections. Endothelium-associated peptides, such as endothelin-1 (ET-1), correlate closely with endothelial activation, and therefore serve as surrogate biomarkers. Our aim was to investigate precursor peptides of endothelin-1 (proET1) on admission and during follow-up on days 3, 5 and 7 in a prospective cohort of 925 patients with community-acquired pneumonia.