Asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels correlate with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.
BACKGROUND
Erectile dysfunction is related to penile arterial endothelial nitric oxide production. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and E-selectin are often considered plasma markers of endothelial function.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the relationship between these plasma markers and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.


RESULTS
Cardiovascular risk factors, ADMA and E-selectin were assessed in 45 patients with erectile dysfunction. Plasma markers showed associations with baseline risk factors. E-selectin levels showed an inverse relationship with age (p = 0.005) and statin therapy (p = 0.03) and a weak association with concomitant beta-blocker therapy (p = 0.05). Compared to these relatively weak associations with cardiovascular risk factors, ADMA levels showed strong associations with pulse pressure (p < 0.001), lack of smoking (p = 0.002) and lipoprotein (a) (p = 0.004) concentrations and weak associations with LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.02), and C-reactive protein levels (p = 0.04). ADMA levels correlated with E-selectin (partial r = 0.76; p < 0.001) after adjustment for lipoprotein (a), pulse pressure and smoking. No change in E-selectin or ADMA levels was seen after 70 days therapy with sildenafil and no relationship was found between either plasma marker and the acute pulse wave response to a single challenge dose of sildenafil.


CONCLUSIONS
ADMA levels correlate at baseline with some cardiovascular risk factors including inflammatory markers and lipoprotein (a) in patients with erectile dysfunction.
Wierzbicki
Anthony S
AS
Department of Chemical Pathology, St. Thomas' Hospital Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, UK. Anthony.Wierzbicki@kcl.ac.uk
Solomon
Hemant
H
Lumb
Peter J
PJ
Lyttle
Kereese
K
Lambert-Hammill
Michelle
M
Jackson
Graham
G
D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011687:Purines; D012307:Risk Factors; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D019040:E-Selectin; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D001120:Arginine; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases