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Purpose: The aim of our study was to determine whether markers of NO metabolism in serum nitrite/nitrate are increased in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and whether they correlate with oxidant/antioxidant system markers, which are erythrocyte reduced glutathione, malondyaldehyde, vitamin C and pulmonary function tests. The relationship of these markers with smoking was also assessed.
Materials and Methods: Two groups of patients with clinically stable (n=25) and exacerbated (n=24) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were studied. Two control groups consisting of 18 current smoker and 20 non-smoker healthy subjects were also included in the study. Serum nitrite/nitrate, malondyaldehyde, erythrocyte reduced glutathione and vitamin C levels were measured in venous blood in all subjects.
Results: Mean levels of serum nitrite/nitrate in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (23.53±9.03 pmol/L) were significantly lower than in healthy control group (72.31±17.45 pmol/L). Nitrite/nitrate levels were significantly lower in healthy smokers (67.00± 14-20 pmol/L) than in healthy non-smokers (77.05± 19.03 pmol/L).
Conclusion: We found that NO metabolism was not increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease compared to healthy subjects.