Total nitric oxide and inducible nitric oxide synthase in alcohol-dependent individuals during detoxification therapy.
BACKGROUND
The alterations of total nitric oxide (NO) (through total nitrite/nitrate) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) concentrations were determined in a population of alcohol-dependent individuals without liver disease upon admission for detoxification, two weeks later and after completion of detoxification (4-6 weeks in total).


METHODS
Thirty-eight men and nine women were included in the study. Endogenous nitrite and total nitrite/nitrate concentrations were measured colorimetrically and iNOS concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Endogenous and total nitrite concentrations were found to be diagnostically equally conclusive, whereas iNOS values were not correlated with the other two parameters. All three parameters were significantly higher in alcohol-dependent individuals compared to controls at all time points.


CONCLUSIONS
The preventive therapeutic use of iNOS inhibitors in alcohol-dependent individuals might avoid the injurious effects of chronic alcohol abuse, and should be a matter of further investigation.
Department of Medical Biopathology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Margarita
M
Zoga
Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Elias
E
Tzavellas
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece.
Anastasios
A
Ioannidis
Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Dimitrios
D
Karaiskos
Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Thomas
T
Paparrigopoulos
Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Ioannis
I
Liappas
Department of Medical Biopathology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Paraskevi
P
Pliatsika
Department of Medical Biopathology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Chryssoula
C
Nikolaou
Department of Medical Biopathology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School, Athens, Greece schatzi@med.uoa.gr schatzipa@gmail.com.
Stylianos
S
Chatzipanagiotou
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
Alcohol abuse; NO; alcoholic liver disease; iNOS; nitrate; nitrite