Nitric oxide metabolites in cisternal CSF correlate with cerebral vasospasm in patients with a subarachnoid haemorrhage

摘要

Background: The pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm is likely to be multifactorial. Exposure of the adventitia of large cerebral arteries to blood breakdown products initiates a cascade of changes in both morphology and vasomotor regulation of the exposed vessels. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in development of cerebral vasospasm process is controversial. Basal cerebral vascular tone requires the continuous release of NO, nevertheless NO is involved in free radical mediated injury of endothelial cell membrane. Concentrations of nitrateitrite (stabile endproducts of NO metabolism) were studied in cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (cCSF) in patients suffering from aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).