title: Adrenomedullin and total nitrite levels in children with acute rheumatic fever.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the levels of adrenomedullin (AM) and total nitrite, a stable product of nitric oxide (NO), in children with acute rheumatic fever (ARF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven children with ARF were investigated in comparison with 14 healthy controls. Adrenomedullin was detected by HPLC, while total nitrite was quantitated by the Griess reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma urinary AM and total nitrite levels were significantly higher in children with ARF, irrespective of whether they were in the acute or convalescent phase of disease. Plasma AM (pmol/mL) levels were 49.19 +/- 3.23 in the acute phase, 44.52 +/- 4.26 in the convalescent phase, 35.49 +/- 3.43 in controls, and urinary AM excretion (pmol/mg creatinine) was 43.45 +/- 18.40 in the acute phase, 32.38 +/- 15.37 in the convalescent phase, and 24.84 +/- 11.38 in controls. Plasma total nitrite levels (mumol/L) were 75.37 +/- 13.13 in the acute phase, 59.81 +/- 12.78 in the convalescent phase, and 41.09 +/- 10.27 in controls. Urinary total nitrite excretion (mumol/mg creatinine) was 3.82 +/- 1.56 in the acute phase, 2.15 +/- 0.58 in the convalescent phase, and 1.33 +/- 0.61 in controls. The differences were statistically significant for all (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study considered that AM and NO may have a role in the immunoinflammatory process of ARF.
authors.affiliation: Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, PK:34, Gaziantep 27310, Turkey. aysebalat@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balat
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kilinç
authors.forename: Mustafa B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Cekmen
authors.forename: Elif
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Güler
authors.forename: Muhittin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yürekli
authors.forename: Saime
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahinöz
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Coşkun
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D053607:Adrenomedullin; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D012213:Rheumatic Fever / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009573:Nitrites; D010455:Peptides; D053607:Adrenomedullin