title: Evidence of increased nitric oxide production in patients with the sepsis syndrome.
abstract: To investigate whether the hypotension of septic shock is due to an excess production of nitric oxide (NO), we have determined the serum levels of nitrate and nitrite (NO3/NO2), the stable end-products of NO, in 12 patients with the sepsis syndrome and marked hypotension. Compared to a mean NO3/NO2 level of 36.4 microM in controls (n = 7), the group of septic patients had a significantly elevated mean NO3/NO2 level of 124 microM (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon two-sample test). A lesser elevation was also seen in a group of postoperative patients (mean level 87.3 microM, n = 7), which was significantly elevated compared to controls (P < 0.01, Wilcoxon two-sample test), but was not significantly lower than the septic group (0.1 > P > 0.05, Wilcoxon two-sample test). These data suggest that NO may be responsible, at least in part, for the hypotension of septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Bacteriology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinderman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002097:C-Reactive Protein