Decreased nitric oxide production in chronic viral hepatitis B and C

✍ Scribed by Amaro, María José; Bartolomé, Javier; Pardo, Margarita; Cotonat, Teresa; López-Farré, Antonio; Carreño, Vicente

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 227 KB
• Volume: 51
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0146-6615
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9071(199704)51:4<326::aid-jmv11>3.0.co;2-g

✦ Synopsis

Nitric oxide is a free radical gas molecule which may be implicated in antiviral defense. However, there is no information about its possible role in chronic viral hepatitis B and C. In this study we have analyzed the serum levels of NO 2 -(as an index of nitric oxide generation) from patients with chronic viral hepatitis B and C and relationship of same with the response to interferon therapy. Serum samples were analysed from 61 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 60 patients with chronic hepatitis C, 11 with chronic liver disease of nonviral origin, and 23 healthy controls. Levels of NO 2 -were statistically higher in healthy controls (P < 0.001) than in patients with chronic liver disease. No relation was found between NO 2 -and viremia or response to interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. In contrast in chronic hepatitis C, responder patients had significantly higher NO 2 -than nonresponders (P < 0.01). With respect to the relation between NO 2 -levels and liver damage, patients with cirrhosis had lower NO 2 -levels than the rest of the patients (P < 0.001). In conclusion, patients with chronic viral hepatitis have low serum NO 2 -levels.