Nitrite/nitrate (NOX) and type II phospholipase A2, leukotriene B4, and platelet-activating factor levels in patients...

We measured serum concentrations of nitrite/nitrate (NOX), type II phospholipase A2 (PLA2), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and platelet-activating factor (PAF) in patients with sepsis. These findings were compared between patients with and without septic shock. Serum concentrations of NOX, type II PLA2, LTB4, and PAF acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) were significantly higher in the group with septic shock (P < 0.0001; P = 0.0060; P = 0.0052; P = 0.0052), indicating the severity of the disease. There were significant correlations between the serum NOX level and serum levels of type II PLA2, LTB4, and PAF-AH (r = 0.6890, P < 0.0001; r = 0.3755, P = 0.0409; r = 0.5095, P = 0.0040, respectively). It is speculated that LTB4 and PAF, both produced with type II PLA2, interact with each other and are involved in the deterioration of pathologic features associated with sepsis. Furthermore, nitric oxide (NO) and eicosanoids interact to play an important role in vascular dilatation during septic shock.