Relationship between liver function and nitric oxide and endothelin-1 in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with portal hypertension

Objective To investigate the relationship between changes in liver function and those in serum nitric oxide (NO) and endothelin 1 (ET 1) in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with portal hypertension. Methods According to the liver function grading results, the patients were divided into groups A (grade I, n=13), B (grade II, n=21) and C (grade III, n=21). The levels of serum NO and ET 1 and index of liver function were determined. Then a comparison between the changes in liver function and those in serum NO and ET 1 was made by Nmenyi test. Results The serum level of NO was significantly lower in group A than in groups B and C (P0 01). However, there was no significant difference in serum level of ET 1 among the 3 groups (P0 05). Conclusions The serum NO, not ET 1, is of great significance in preoperative evaluation of the liver function of reservation in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with portal hypertension.