Elevated nitric oxide and 3’,5’ cyclic guanosine monophosphate levels in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis

Figure 1 Serum concentrations of nitric oxide NO^• (NO₃^- + NO₂^-), nitrates (NO₃^-) and nitrites (NO₂^-), in patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis classed as Child-Pugh A, B or C, and controls. Data are expressed as means ± SD of triplicate determinations. ^bP < 0.01 between controls and patients with Child-Pugh A, B or C cirrhosis.

Figure 2 Boxes show the interquartile ranges. Vertical lines show 80% of the values (10^th-90^th percentiles). The bold horizontal line represents the median. ^bP < 0.01 between controls and cirrhosis Child-Pugh A, and between controls and cirrhosis Child-Pugh B and C.

Figure 3 A significant positive correlation between the levels of NO^• and cGMP was observed among the 26 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, classed as Child-Pugh A, B and C. Linear regression with 95.00% mean prediction interval, ^bP < 0.01; NO₃^- + NO₂^-&mgr;mol/L = 2.81 + 0.93; R-Square = 0.75.

Figure 4 Correlation between NO^• levels and MELD scores. Linear regression with 95.00% mean prediction interval, NO^•&mgr;mol/L = 8.76 + 0.64; ^bP < 0.01; R-Square = 0.39.

Figure 5 Correlation between cGMP levels and MELD scores. Linear regression with 95.00% mean prediction interval, ^bP < 0.01; cGMP pmol/L = 11.05 + 0.40; R-Square = 0.20.

Figure 6 Boxes show the interquartile ranges. Vertical lines show 80% of the values (10^th-90^th percentiles). The bold horizontal line represents the median. ^bP < 0.01 between controls and patients with Child-Pugh A cirrhosis or between patients with Child-Pugh B cirrhosis or between Child-Pugh C cirrhosis.

Figure 7 The MELD score increases progressively from Child-Pugh class A to C. A significant negative correlation between MELD scores and GSHr/GSSG ratios was observed. Linear regression with 95.00% mean prediction interval, ^bP < 0.01; MELD in arbitrary units = 27.08 + -10.74; R-Square = 0.48.

Figure 8 Correlation between NO^• levels and GSHr/GSSG ratios. Linear regression with 95.00% mean prediction interval, ^bP < 0.01; NO^•&mgr;mol/L = 26.52 + -7.99; R-Square = 0.31.