title: Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine level and extent of lesion at coronary angiography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given that the endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, asymmetric dimethylarginine, can decrease nitric oxide bioavailability and lead to atherosclerosis, its concentration can be a good predictor for coronary artery disease. In this study, we investigated the relationship of plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration with lesion distribution and severity at coronary artery angiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-eight patients with stable angina were enrolled prospectively. We divided the patients into two groups. Group I (n=37) included the patients with normal coronary arteries. All the other patients were included in group II (n=61). We calculated coronary atherosclerotic score and coronary vessel score. Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine, L-arginine and symmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were measured and L-arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio was calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma L-arginine and symmetric dimethylarginine concentrations did not differ in the two groups. The plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine level, however, was higher in group II patients than in group I patients (0.43+/-0.26 vs. 0.59+/-0.28 micromol/l, P=0.004) and L-arginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine ratio was lower in group II patients than in group I patients (262.0+/-186.4 vs. 176.6+/-139.8, P=0.019). Asymmetric dimethylarginine was positively correlated with the coronary atherosclerotic score (rs=0.273, P=0.006). Moreover, asymmetric dimethylarginine was an important predictor of angiographically defined coronary artery disease (odds ratio=14.42, P=0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the hypothesis that the plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine concentration may be a good indicator of predicting coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. asifesah@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Asife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahinarslan
authors.forename: Atiye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cengel
authors.forename: Gursel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biberoglu
authors.forename: Alev
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasanoglu
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkoglu
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timurkaynak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine