title: Asymmetric dimethyl arginine levels correlate with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with erectile dysfunction.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, St. Thomas' Hospital Lambeth Palace Road, London SE1 7EH, UK. Anthony.Wierzbicki@kcl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Anthony S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Wierzbicki
authors.forename: Hemant
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lumb
authors.forename: Kereese
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lyttle
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lambert-Hammill
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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