title: [Malondialdehyde and nitric oxide behaviour in patients with myocardial infarction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the potential usefulness of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide as sensors of metabolic damage produced during acute coronary ischaemics events.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels were determined as thiobarbituric acid derivative and nitrites respectively in 15 male patients who were admitted to the emergency ward of the Hospital General del Sur de Maracaibo, because of acute stage of myocardial infarction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results show, upon follow-up and afterwards 30 days a highly significant increase in the malondialdehyde level during the acute phase of myocardial infarction (1.87 +/- 0.29 vs 45.47 +/- 8.67 mM; p < 2.01 10-5) that returns to normal levels 30 days after myocardial infarction when compared with healthy subjects of the same age (1.87 +/- 0.29 vs 4.58 +/- 1.43 mM). As for nitric oxide, levels also increased significantly during the acute phase of myocardial infarction (41.25 +/- 3.59 vs 164.63 +/- 12.7, p < 2.13 10-10 mM) and diminished significantly when compared with healthy adults of the same age 30 days after the acute event (41.25 +/- 3.59 vs 40.85 +/- 4.50 mM).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that serum levels of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide increased significantly during acute infarction, coming back to normal levels 30 days after infarction, which suggest that both substances are potential tools to predict cardiac function recovery.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Bioquímica, Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina. Universidad de Zulia, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Endocrinometabólicas Dr. Félix Gómez. Hospital General del Sur Dr. Pedro Iturbe, Maracaibo, Venezuela. vbermudez@hotmail.com
authors.forename: V J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Bermúdez Pirela
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bracho
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bermúdez Arias
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Medina Reyes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núñez Pacheco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amell De Díaz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cano Ponce
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde