title: Nitrite and Nitrate Plasma Levels, as Markers for Nitric Oxide Synthesis, in Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP).
abstract: The enhanced platelet aggregation and thrombosis occurring in TTP is probably due to an unbalance between agents insulting endothelial integrity and natural antithrombotic factors, such as NO. Using a sensitive and specific HPLC assay, we tested the hypothesis of NO involvement in TTP, comparing NO production, as the stable end-products nitrites and nitrates, in the plasma of 29 TTP patients and of 29 healthy subjects matched for sex and age. Average nitrate titer was 25.868 μM/L in the TTP group vs 24.234 μM/L in the control group (p = n.s.), while nitrite were undetectable in both groups. Moreover, nitrate titers did not correlate with hemoglobin value, platelet count, LDH values, or with Rose and Eldor's severity score. In conclusion, even though the enhanced platelet aggregation observed in TTP could be due to reduced natural antithrombotic substances, NO involvement in the pathogenesis of TTP appears unlikely.
authors.affiliation: a Istituto di Terapia Medica, Università di Pavia , I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo , Pavia.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.affiliation: b Dipartimento di Farmacologia , I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo , Pavia.
authors.forename: Í
authors.initials: Í
authors.lastname: Buggia
authors.affiliation: b Dipartimento di Farmacologia , I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Matteo , Pavia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bonomi
authors.affiliation: c Istituto di Ematologia 'L. e A. Seràgnoli', Università di Bologna , Policlinico Sant'Orsola , Bologna.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gugliotta
authors.affiliation: c Istituto di Ematologia 'L. e A. Seràgnoli', Università di Bologna , Policlinico Sant'Orsola , Bologna.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vianelli
authors.affiliation: d Istituto di Clinica Medica, Università di Ancona , Policlinico Torrette, Ancona.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Centurioni
authors.affiliation: e Divisione di Medicina Generate , Ospedale Maggiore , Crema , Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bobbio-Pallavicini
keywords: Nitrite; TTP; endothelium; nitrate; nitric oxide