title: Plasma nitrate/nitrite and endothelin-1 in patients with liver cirrhosis.
abstract: The aims of this study were to examine the plasma nitrate/nitrite (NOx; two end products of nitric oxide metabolism) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) concentrations in patients with liver cirrhosis, and to investigate whether there is a relationship between these two vasoactive parameters and the course of disease. Twenty-eight patients with liver cirrhosis (11 HBV-related, four HCV-related, four alcohol-related, and nine with idiopathic etiology) and 25 healthy subjects (controls) were included in the study. The venous plasma concentrations of NOx and ET-1 were significantly higher (P<0.01 and P<0.001) in the patients with cirrhosis than in the controls. A significant increase in ET-1 was observed in the Child B subgroup vs. Child A (P<0.05), and in the Child C subgroup vs. either subgroup A or B (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences between study subgroups (Child A-C) in the mean of NOx values. Plasma NOx and ET-1 were significantly increased in patients with ascites compared to those without ascites (P<0.05 and P<0.01). Increased nitric oxide synthesis may be a compensation mechanism against endothelial injury. The highest ET-1 levels in Child C and moderately increased ET-1 levels in Child B, and the lower increase of ET-1 levels in Child A patients suggest that plasma ET-1 increases with the progression of the disease. The fact that NOx and ET-1 levels were higher in patients with decompensated cirrhosis (patients with ascites) than in those with compensated cirrhosis (patients without ascites), and the presence of a strong correlation between ET-1, NOx, and the degree of varices, supports the suggestion that there is a relationship between NOx, ET-1, and portal hypertension. Our study demonstrates that increased ET and nitric oxide metabolism is associated with the hemodynamic alterations induced by portal hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curgunlu
authors.forename: Pervin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: Mukaddes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Canbaz
authors.forename: Nilgun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Erten
authors.forename: M Akif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Karan
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tascioglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018450:Disease Progression; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D019332:Endothelin-1; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide