Published online Oct 15, 1998. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v4.iSuppl2.65
Revised: August 4, 1998
Accepted: August 24, 1998
Published online: October 15, 1998
AIM: To study the effect of nitric oxide (NO) endothelin (ET) and endotoxin in the decompensatary stage of hepatic cirrhosis due to hepatitis.
METHODS: Thirty-six patients with decompensatary stage of hepatic cirrhosis were in study group, and 30 cases of normal persons in control group. We measured plasma levels of NO metabolite (namely NO3/NO2), ET, endotoxin of every case. We classified the 36 patients as degree A, B and C according to Paugh-Child criteria and then measured the levels of NO3/NO2, ET and endotoxin.
RESULTS: The plasma NO3/NO2 levels in the patient (mean, 7.79 ± 2.07 μmol/L) were signficantly higher than that of normal persons (mean, 3.87 ± 0.73 μmol/L, P < 0.01) ; The plasma ET levels in the patients (mean, 99.89 ± 13.20 pg/mL) were significantly higher than that of the normal persons (mean, 42.34 ± 6.27 pg/mL, P < 0.01), and differences of plasma endotoxin between patients (mean, 0.476 ± 0.222 eu/mL) and normal persons (mean, 0.142 ± 0.081 eu/mL) were also significant (P < 0.01). At the same time, we observed th at NO3/NO2, ET and endotoxin had positive correlations with each other . r = 0.609b, 0.613b, 0.523a, respectively (bP < 0.01 ，aP < 0.05). The plasma NO3/NO2, ET levels increased significantly with the progress of degree A, B and C. NO3/NO2 levels between degree B, C, A and control group had no significant difference (P > 0.05), but differences of NO3/NO 2 between degree A and C, B and C were very significant (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION: It was suggested that NO, ET and endotoxin have some role in pathogenesis of hepatic cirrhosis. And that NO3/NO2 and ET may in crease with liver function deterioration.