Diagnostic Significance of Nitrates and Nitrites and L-Arginine, in Development of Hepatorenal Syndrome in Patients with End Stage Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) represents a complication of the end-stage liver cirrhosis. The aim of the present study was to analyze concentrations of nitrates and nitrites (NO2 + NO3) and L-arginine in patients with liver cirrhosis and HRS as a possible predictive marker for the development of HRS. The research was performed in a group of 28 patients with cirrhosis and HRS, a group of 22 patients suffering from cirrhosis without HRS and a control group comprised of 42 healthy voluntary blood donors. In patients with end-stage alcoholic liver cirrhosis, with HRS, the concentrations of NO2 + NO3 increased and correlated with the degree of cirrhosis progression, compared to patients without HRS and significantly higher compared to the control group. The level of NO2 + NO3 was in a positive correlation with the degree of liver damage de Ritis coefficient (HRS = 0.72; cirrhosis: = 0.55; control = −0.10). Significant positive correlation was found between NO2 + NO3 concentration and inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (HRSC = 0.75; cirrhosis = 0.70, control = −0.25). The correlation between NO2 + NO3 concentration and creatinine concentration in patients with HRS was significantly higher compared to patients without HRS (HRS = 0.82; cirrhosis = 0.32; control = −0.25). By using binary regression analysis, on the basis of clinical criteria of HRS diagnosis, the strongest independent positive predictor for HRS development was NO2 + NO3, associated with 45.02 times higher incidence of HRS, compared to arginine (12.7 times higher incidence), creatinine (13.1 times higher incidence), and AST/ALT ratio (10.55 higher incidence of HRS). Since the determination of NO2 + NO3 represents a reliable and easily applicable method, it may be used as an early predictive marker for HRS development.