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Plasma nitrite/nitrate and endothelin‐1 concentrations in neonatal sepsis
Author(s) -
FiguerasAloy J,
Gómez L,
RodríguezMiguélez JM,
Jordán Y,
Salvia MD,
Jiménez W,
CarbonellEstrany X
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2003.tb02511.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nitrite , nitrate , sepsis , endothelin receptor , intensive care medicine , ecology , receptor , biology
Aim : To determine the changes in plasma nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) concentrations during neonatal sepsis. Methods : In a prospective study, 60 consecutive newborns meeting the criteria for sepsis and without receiving exogenous nitric oxide (25 haemoculture‐positive [HC+] and 35 haemoculture‐negative [HC–]) were compared with 68 healthy newborns (46 full‐term and 22 preterm). NOx and ET‐1 concentrations were measured in each newborn within 48 h of diagnosis of sepsis and then every third day up to three determinations. SNAP‐II and SNAPPE‐II severity scores were performed at the moment of highest clinical severity. Results : At the beginning of the sepsis period, controls and septicaemic newborns had similar NOx and ET‐1 levels, with the exception of infants with severe HC+ sepsis. Throughout the sepsis period, NOx increased in moderate HC+ sepsis and decreased in HC– sepsis, reaching a significant difference at the end of the study period (59.9 ± 72.7 vs 33.9 ± 15.3 μmol/L; p = 0.036). Meanwhile, ET‐1 in newborns with severe HC+ sepsis remained higher than that in the moderate HC+ sepsis group and HC– group, reaching significant differences in all the periods. The highest ET‐1 value was positively correlated with SNAP‐II and SNAPPE‐II scores. Conclusion : NOx concentrations increased throughout the neonatal HC+ sepsis period, reaching significant differences after 7–9 d. The highest ET‐1 levels in neonatal HC+ sepsis emerged before the NOx peak, at 3–5 d, and later decreased. Only newborns with severe HC+ sepsis presented a significant increase in ET‐1 concentrations from the beginning of the septicaemic process.