Adrenomedullin and total nitrite levels in children with acute rheumatic fever.
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.
Balat
Ayşe
A
Gaziantep University, Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, PK:34, Gaziantep 27310, Turkey. aysebalat@hotmail.com
Kilinç
Metin
M
Cekmen
Mustafa B
MB
Güler
Elif
E
Yürekli
Muhittin
M
Sahinöz
Saime
S
Coşkun
Yavuz
Y
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
D015415:Biomarkers; D009573:Nitrites; D010455:Peptides; D053607:Adrenomedullin