Decreased nitric oxide production in patients with Behcet's disease

Background Behcet's disease is a chronic multisystemic disorder which is ch aracterized by a relapsing systemic inflammatory process. One of the featur es of Behcet's disease is endothelial dysfunction resulting from many facto rs. Objective and Methods: We conducted this study to show if there is any change of plasma nitrite and nitrate levels by using the enzymatic-spectrop hotometric method as an indicator for nitric oxide (NO) production, conside ring the disease activity in patients with Behcet's disease. The study grou p consisted 21 patients and 20 healthy control subjects. We measured plasma nitrite and nitrate levels, and some acute-phase reactants including eryth rocyte sedimentation rate, alpha-l-antitrypsin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and t he neutrophil count. Blood samples were drawn before and after treatment of the patients. Results: Nitrite, nitrate and nitrite + nitrate levels in th e active period of the disease were found to be decreased compared to the i nactive period and the control group. No significant differences were obser ved in plasma nitrite and nitrate levels between the inactive period and th e control group. Conclusion: It was concluded that decreased NO production in patients with Behcet's disease may have critical biological activities r elevant to pathologic events in the active period of the disease.