L-arginine levels are diminished in adult acute vaso-occlusive sickle cell crisis in the emergency department

Abstract

Paediatric studies have demonstrated that L-arginine (L-arg), the precursor to nitric oxide, is diminished in vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). This study aimed to determine whether L-arginine levels are altered in adult VOC in the emergency department. Plasma L-arg and nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) levels were obtained in adult VOC patients presenting to the emergency department. Fifty patients had significantly low plasma L-arg (29.78 μmol/l ± 11.21, P < 0.05 vs steady-state control = 41.16 μmol/1 ± 5.04) and significantly low plasma NOx (12.33 μmol/l ± 10.28, P < 0.05 vs steady-state control = 25.2 ± 2.6 μmol/l). Neither L-arg nor NOx levels could predict VOC clinical course.