role of nitric oxide in determination of the severity of liver cirrhosis

ABSTRACT

Increased synthesis of nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator belongs to the endothelial derived. Relaxing factor [EDRE], is implicated in the hemodynamic consequences of cirrhosis. The present study was designed to find the correlation between the levels of nitric oxide [NO] and the severity of liver disease. Fifty-eight patients with chronic liver disease of varying severity were studied versus a control group of healthy people. Nitrate level was measured in the serum of patients and controls, which is used as an index for No.Our results have shown that NO level in the serum of all patient groups was elevated with a statistically significant value as compared with the controls [P<0.02]. The resistant ascites group [group III] showed higher levels of NO than the decompensated group [group II] with a statistical significance [P<0.01]. Extreme significance [P<0.001], when comparing liver function tests [Alb, Tp, ALT, Tbil, Proth] with NO in all studied groups. We concluded that the increased level of nitric oxide is associated with the severity of liver damage suggesting a role of NO in the definitive pathophysiological process of cirrhotics. Further research in this direction may elucidate the obvious role of NO in liver cirrhosis which may form the basis for future preventive strategies and or novel therapeutic