Serum nitrite/nitrate and arginase levels in patients with allergic rhinitis.
Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in the regulation of upper respiratory function. Patients with untreated allergic rhinitis (AR) have an increased level of NO in the nasal cavity compared to normal individuals. We aimed to investigate serum levels of arginase and NO metabolites nitrite/nitrate in patients with AR during the symptomatic period. The patient and control groups consisted of 14 males and 12 females (mean age: 29, range: 20-40 years), and 10 males and 10 females (mean age: 27, range: 22-38 years), respectively. Nitrite/nitrate levels were 0.98 +/- 0.33 ng/ml in the patients with AR, and 0.78 +/- 0.26 ng/ml in the control group (p = 0.03). Arginase levels were 28.8 +/- 14.1 ng/ml in the patients with AR, and 20.8 +/- 13.5 ng/ml in the control group. The difference between the groups was statistically insignificant (p = 0.24). Our results support the view that NO plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AR, and NO metabolites may be used as a marker for monitoring the disease activity and therapy.
Unal
Murat
M
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey. munal@mersin.edu.tr
Eskandari
Hatice Gulçin
HG
Erçetin
Neslihan
N
Doğruer
Zeynep Nil
ZN
Pata
Yavuz Selim
YS
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000097:blood*; D040001:Dermatophagoides farinae / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012882:Skin Tests
D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D001119:Arginase