Altered diurnal variation of nitric oxide production in patients with panic disorder.
The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the diurnal change in serum nitric oxide (NO) levels in active and remission phases of patients with panic disorder. This study included 15 patients fulfilling the criteria for panic disorder of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--Fourth Edition and 15 healthy controls matched for age and sex. All patients were receiving a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor at therapeutic doses. The serum nitrite and nitrate levels of subjects were determined at 10:00 a.m. after overnight fasting and at 3:00 p.m. 2 hours after lunch. NO levels of all patients measured in the morning were significantly higher than those of controls. The patients were also divided into active and remission groups according to clinical status and Panic Agoraphobia Scale's cut-off point. There were no statistically significant differences in serum nitrite and nitrate levels of the active group between the 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. measurements. In contrast, statistically significant differences were found in the serum levels of nitrite (p<0.05) and nitrate (p<0.05) in the remission group. Notably, the afternoon nitrite and nitrate levels of the remission group were higher than those of the morning levels as seen in control subjects. Thus, diurnal variation of NO production is altered in patients with panic disorder but is resumed in the remission phase. The present study suggests that serum NO levels are a good marker for evaluation of panic disorder.
Kaya
Burhanettin
B
Department of Psychiatry, Inonu University Medical School, Malatya, Turkey.
Unal
Süheyla
S
Karabulut
Aysun Bay
AB
Türköz
Yusuf
Y
D000379:Agoraphobia; D001007:Anxiety; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D006801:Humans; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values
D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II