INCREASED CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID NITRITE AND NITRATE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH LUMBAR SPONDYLOSIS

Nitric oxide is thought to mediate the cytotoxic effects of certain ne urologic diseases. To investigate whether overproduction of nitric oxi de may play a role in lumber spondylosis, we compared the levels of ni trite and nitrate in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with lumbar spondylosis with those from a control group by automated flow i njection analysis. CSF levels of nitric oxide metabolites were signifi cantly higher in patients with lumbar spondylosis compared with the co ntrol (p < 0.01). Nitric oxide may play a role in lumbar pain or nerve damage in sciatica and the CSF nitrite/nitrate may be used as a diagn ostic parameter of spinal diseases.