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l ‐arginine levels are diminished in adult acute vaso‐occlusive sickle cell crisis in the emergency department
Author(s) -
Lopez Bernard L.,
Kreshak Allyson A.,
Morris Claudia R.,
DavisMoon Linda,
Ballas Samir K.,
Ma Xinliang
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2003.04109.x
Subject(s) - nitric oxide , vaso occlusive crisis , arginine , emergency department , nox , metabolite , medicine , anesthesia , endocrinology , chemistry , biochemistry , sickle cell anemia , disease , organic chemistry , amino acid , psychiatry , combustion
Summary. Paediatric studies have demonstrated that l ‐arginine ( l ‐arg), the precursor to nitric oxide, is diminished in vaso‐occlusive crisis (VOC). This study aimed to determine whether l ‐arginine levels are altered in adult VOC in the emergency department. Plasma l ‐arg and nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) levels were obtained in adult VOC patients presenting to the emergency department. Fifty patients had significantly low plasma l ‐arg (29·78 μmol/l ± 11·21, P < 0·05 vs steady‐state control = 41·16 μmol/l ± 5·04) and significantly low plasma NOx (12·33 μmol/l ± 10·28, P < 0·05 vs steady‐state control = 25·2 ± 2·6 µmol/l). Neither l ‐arg nor NOx levels could predict VOC clinical course.