SERUM CONCENTRATIONS OF NITRITE IN PATIENTS WITH HIV-1 INFECTION

Aims-To measure circulating concentrations of nitrite in patients with HIV-1 infection. Methods-Nitrite concentrations were measured using t he Griess reaction adapted to microtitre plates in the serum of 10 asy mptomatic HIV-1 positive patients, 33 patients with AIDS with cerebral disorders, 17 patients with AIDS with pulmonary involvement, and in e ight patients with AIDS with other disorders. Nitrite concentrations w ere also measured in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and cerebrospi nal fluid (CSF) of patients with AIDS with pulmonary involvement and c erebral disorders, respectively. Results Increased serum concentration s of nitrite were observed in patients with pulmonary involvement, and in particular in serum and in BAL samples of patients with interstiti al pneumonia (36.2 (26.2) mu mol/l and 0.3 (0.3) mu mol/l, respectivel y). Increased serum concentrations of nitrite were also noted in patie nts with retinitis caused by infection with cytomegalovirus. Serum nit rite concentrations were also raised in patients with cerebral toxopla smosis, whereas normal serum concentrations were found in patients wit h HIV-1 encephalopathy and cryptococcal meningitis. Nitrite concentrat ions in CSF were not raised in patients with cerebral disorders. Concl usions-These results suggest that production of nitrite in patients wi th AIDS with concomitant opportunistic infections may be part of the h ost defense against opportunistic organisms.