Determination of the levels of serum nitric oxide in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and its clinical significance

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and to discuss its clinical significance. Methods: Spectrophotometry was used to determine the levels of serum NO in 64 patients with hepatic cirrhosis and 30 normal subjects. Results: Comparing with the controls, the levels of serum NO increased significantly ( P 0 01) in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. And the increased levels were more significant in patients who had decompensation, ascites, poor hepatic function grades and complications than in those who had compensation, no ascites, better hepatic function grades and no complications (0 01 P 0 05). Conclusion: The levels of NO in serum increase in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The higher NO may be associated with the active degree of the disease, the formation of ascites, the impairment of the liver function, the occurrence of complications and the prognosis. [