NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION IN CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is an endogenous biological mediator in many vertebrate organ systems. Our study was carried out to measure serum nitrate and nitrite levels in critically ill children as indicator of endogenous NO production and to examine the possibility that the use of threshold serum NO levels may have clinical value as indicators or therapeutic monitors either at time of diagnosis or during the course of illness in critically ill children. It was carried out on 73 critically ill child between 1-15 years old among patients admitted to ICU in Benha University Hospital, Benha Fever Hospital, and Benha Chest • Hospital, they were classified into 5 groups:

Group A: 27 child with critical infection.

Group B: 11 child with sepsis.

Group C: 11 child with shock without sepsis. Group D: 24 child with autoimmune disease. Group E: 2 l normal child as control In our study we found that the mean values of plasma nitrite and nitrate were elevated in all groups compared with the control group. Also we found that maximum serum NO level was in children with sepsis followed by children with auto-immune disease and infection and the minimum level was in patients with shock without sepsis. The mean values in children with sepsis were 124.8 +