Plasma endothelin and nitric oxide levels in patients with acute pancreatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the changes of plasma endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with acute pancreatitis.


METHODS
The level of plasma ET was measured by radioactive-immunoassay, and NO by spectrophotometry.


RESULTS
The levels of ET, NO and the ET/NO ratio in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) within 24 hours in hospital were all significantly higher than those in other groups of patients [(176+/-8) pg/ml, (97+/-11) micromol/L, and 1.83+/-0.12, P<0.01]. Compared to healthy controls (N), the levels of ET and NO in patients without pancreatitis acute abdomen (NAP) and patients with mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) increased significantly (P<0.01). After appropriate treatment, the levels of ET and NO in the MAP group were lower (P<0.01). Compared with those before treatment, the levels of ET and NO in the SAP group on the 3rd and 7th day in hospital dropped significantly (P<0.01). The ET/NO ratio on the 7th day was also lower than that on admission (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The malfunction of endothelial cells and the increased ET/NO ratio may be related to the mechanism of pancreatic microcirculatory disturbance in patients with SAP; early dynamic determination of these parameters may help predict the prognosis of SAP.
Zeng
Xiao-Hua
XH
Department of General Surgery, Second clinical College, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing 400010, China. zeng-xiaohua@263.net
Zhu
Shi-Qin
SQ
Zhang
Xing-Ming
XM
Luo
Wen-Jun
WJ
Li
Sheng-Wei
SW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016232:Endothelins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
D016232:Endothelins; D009569:Nitric Oxide