Endothelial dysfunction in MELAS improved by l-arginine supplementation.
The authors evaluated endothelial function in patients with MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke) by flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and found a significant decrease vs controls. Two years of supplementation with oral l-arginine, a nitric oxide precursor, significantly improved endothelial function to control levels and was harmonized with the normalized plasma levels of l-arginine in patients. l-Arginine therapy improved endothelial dysfunction and showed promise in treating strokelike episodes in MELAS.
Koga
Y
Y
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Fukuoka, Japan. yasukoga@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
Akita
Y
Y
Junko
N
N
Yatsuga
S
S
Povalko
N
N
Fukiyama
R
R
Ishii
M
M
Matsuishi
T
T
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002648:Child; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017241:MELAS Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage
D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D001120:Arginine