ABSTRACT

In this study, we aimed to detect the relationship between serum nitric oxide levels and disease activity in patients with Behçet uveitis. Twenty-five patients with active uveitis diagnosed by clinical examination and fundus fluorescein angiography, and 10 inactive Behçet patients without any attack in the last 12 months were included in the study. Nineteen age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers without any ocular or systemic pathologies were chosen as the control group. Serum nitrite levels were measured with Griess reaction. Nitric oxide levels were compared with serum C-reactive protein, α-1 antytripsin and ceruloplasmin levels. No significant differences were found among active Behçet uveitis patients, inactive Behçet patients and the control group with respect to serum nitrite levels (p=0.883), whereas serum C-reactive protein and α- 1 antytripsin levels were significantly higher in active Behçet uveitis patients (p=0.003 ve p=0.01). The differences between the ceruloplasmin levels were not statistically significant (p=0.117). There were no statistically significant differences among patients with active Behçet uveitis, inactive Behçet uveitis and healthy controls with regard to serum nitrite levels.

Keywords: Behçet uveitis, disease activity, nitric oxide