Abnormal metabolism of nitric oxide, oxidative stress and lipoperoxidative stress in patients with acute viral myocarditis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate metabolic status of nitric oxide (NO) as well as oxidative and lipoperoxidative stress, pathological chain reactions of a series of free radicals, and oxidative and lipoperoxidative damages in patients with acute viral myocarditis (AVM). METHODS: Using a random paired control design, plasma levels of NO, lipoperoxides (LPO), vitamin C (VC), vitamin E (VE) and beta-carotene (beta-CAR), erythrocytic level of LPO as well as activities of erythrocytic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were investigated by spectrophotometric assays in 60 AVM patients and 60 healthy adult volunteers (HAV). RESULTS: Compared with the HAV group, plasma NO, and LPO in plasma and in erythrocyte of the AVM group significantly increased (P = 0.0001), while VC, VE, beta-CAR, SOD, CAT and GSH-Px of the AVM group significantly decreased (P = 0.0001). Compared with the AVM group before treatment, plasma NO, and LPO in plasma and in erythrocyte of the AVM group post treatment significantly decreased (P < 0.05), whereas plasma VC, VE and beta-CAR as well as erythrocytic SOD, CAT and GSH-Px of the AVM group post treatment significantly increased (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings in this study suggested that in the AVM patients the metabolism of NO was disturbed, and the pathological chain reactions of a series of free radicals were severely aggravated, thus produced the oxidative damage and lipoperoxidative damages. Therefore, we recommend that antioxidants at suitable dosage, such as VC, VE, beta-CAR and others, should be given to AVM patients daily to alleviate potential oxidative and lipoperoxidative damages in their bodies.