title: Nitric oxide metabolites as biomarkers for follow-up after chronic rhinosinusitis surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nitric oxide (NO) has a variety of effects on the pathophysiology of the nasal cavity and seems to play an important role in inflammation. It is increased in the common cold but decreased in acute and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Exhaled NO increases after endoscopic sinus surgery in CRS. In our previous study we showed that NO metabolite (nitrate and nitrite) levels are increased in the sinus cavity of CRS patients. We hypothesized that NO metabolite levels are increased to normal in the nasal lavage of CRS patients after endoscopic sinus surgery and NO metabolites in the nasal lavage can be used as indicators of the disease status after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was performed on 52 patients with CRS who did not respond to medical therapy and who underwent surgery. NO metabolite levels were measured in nasal lavages of the patients before surgery and 2 months after surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NO metabolite levels (mean +/- SEM) were 18.11 +/- 3.08 micromol/L and 35.97 +/- 4.64 micromol/L in nasal lavages of patients before and after surgery, respectively. The levels of NO metabolites were increased significantly (p < 0.01) after surgery in nasal lavages and patients reported significant improvement based on the visual analog scoring after the operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NO metabolite levels were decreased in nasal lavages of CRS patients and were increased to normal levels after surgery along with improvement of the disease. NO metabolite levels may be used as an indicator for the follow-up of patients after endoscopic sinus surgery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rhinology and Facial Plastic Surgery, Rhinology Research Society, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Armin Farajzadeh
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Deroee
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naraghi
authors.forename: Alain Fabrice
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Sontou
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ebrahimkhani
authors.forename: Ahmad Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dehpour
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004724:Endoscopy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009296:Nasal Cavity / Q000378:metabolism; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D009298:Nasal Polyps; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009569:Nitric Oxide