Abstract
We previously reported that plasma levels of NO2-/NO3- (NOx) were distributed in a wide range, varying from normal to elevations as high as six times normal in patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Increased production, rather than intradialytic accumulation, was speculated to account for this elevation. According to our previous data, we proposed an underlying mechanism involving increased production of NO to be intimately associated with this progressive process reflecting certain complications of long term hemodialysis, such as atherosclerotic change.
The vascular system, including circulating macrophages, is primarily responsible for the generation of NO. Therefore, we measured plasma NOx levels in 29 hemodialysis patients and made comparisons with the Aortic Calcification Index (ACI) and Ankle Pressure Index (API) in order to investigate the effect of NO on atherosclerotic change in the characteristic setting of hemodialysis.
Plasma levels of NOx in hemodialysis patients varied from 42.6 to 367.6, 160.1±87.28×10-6M on average, and significantly correlated with ACI (r=0.701, p<0.001) and API (r=-0.446, p<0.02).
Consequently, we demonstrated herein a close relationship between the plasma NOx level and the degree of calcified atherosclerotic change. However, the mechanism underlying NO production in accelerated atherosclerotic change in maintenance hemodialysis patients remains to be clarified in further studies.
