Nitric oxide [no] production in liver cirrhosis. relationship to spontaneous bacterial peritonitis [SBP]

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of NO in liver cirrhosis and its relation to the disease severity and presence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The study included 25 patients with liver cirrhosis and SBP, 25 patients with cirrhosis and uninfected ascites and 15 healthy control subjects. The patients were subjected to an evaluation of serum and ascitic NO metabolite liver function tests, kidney function tests, ascitic fluid cytology and protein contents. The control subjects were checked for serum NO metabolite only. The statistical analysis revealed that patients with SBP had higher levels of serum NO metabolite and ascitic fluid NO metabolite in comparison with values in patients with non-infected ascites with a significant statistical difference and both groups of liver cirrhosis patients showed a greater increase in serum NO metabolite than the control group. In conclusion, liver cirrhosis patients had an increased NO production. SBP was accompanied by much more release of NO, peripheral or peritoneal. NO could be a useful diagnostic marker of SBP, if ascitic fluid values exceeded the serum values with a significant statistical difference