Serum nitric oxide products in different allergic diseases

Abstract

We assessed serum nitric oxide products, nitrites and nitrates in 61 controls and 39 patients with atopic diseases: 14 with allergic rhinitis (RHIN), 19 with urticaria (URT) and six with rhinitis plus bronchial asthma (RHIN+ASTH). The patients with URT had the lowest Ieveis of NO products as compared to controls (P < 0.0001) and to other groups (P= 0.0001). Patients with RHIN had lower levels of nitrates and total NO products as compared to controls (P < 0.01) and significantly lower levels of nitrites as compared to RHIN+ASTH patients patients. On the contrary, the levels of NO products were similar in the RHIN+ASTH groups as compared to the controls despite a significantly higher levei of nitrites (P < 0.05) and lower levei of nitrates (P = 0.05). There was no direct correlation between NO levels with either IgE values or sex or age. Serum NO levels may vary depending on the atopic disease studied.