[Nitrate and nitrite in the urine, saliva and blood of urologic patients].

Nitrate and nitrite contents were determined in urine, saliva, and blood of 298 patients suffering from urological diseases. Crude values of nitrate and nitrite in morning urine without any correction due to density and creatinine are sufficient for epidemiological purposes. Significant correlations exist with vegetables intake and bacteriuria, but not with age, sex, disease, smoking, and medicaments. Neither nitrate nor nitrite may be considered to be general indicators of inflammatory processes in the urogenital tract. According to recent investigations nitrite formation during bacterial infections must be seen in connection with simultaneously occurring macrophage activation, as the latter one is catalyzing the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds from nitrite and secondary amines.