Increased nitrite and nitrate concentrations in sera and urine of patientswith cholera or shigellosis

OBJECTIVES: Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulator of cell function. I n the intestine, NO regulates blood flow, peristalsis, secretion, and is as sociated with inflammation and tissue injury. The objectives of this study were to assess and compare the role of NO in cholera, a noninflammatory ent eric infection, and in shigellosis, a bacterial inflammation of the colon. METHODS: We determined serum and urinary concentrations of nitrite and nitr ate during acute illness and early convalescence in 45 hospitalized childre n: 24 with cholera and 21 with shigellosis; 18 healthy children served as c ontrols. Nitrite and nitrate concentrations were determined spectrophotomet rically using Greiss reaction-dependent enzyme assay. RESULTS: Serum nitrite and nitrate concentrations were significantly (p < 0 .05) increased during acute illness compared to the early convalescence in both cholera and shigellosis. Urinary nitrite and nitrate excretions were s ignificantly (p < 0.01) increased during acute disease in shigellosis, but not in cholera. Nitrite concentrations correlated with stool volume (r(2) = 0.851) in cholera and with leukocytosis (r(2) = 0.923) in shigellosis. CONCLUSIONS: Both cholera and shigellosis are associated with increased pro duction of NO, suggesting its pathophysiologic roles in these diseases. (C) 2001 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology.