title: MELAS and L-arginine therapy.
abstract: We investigated the endothelial function in MELAS patients and also evaluated the therapeutic effects of L-arginine. Concentrations of L-arginine during the acute phase of MELAS were significantly lower than in control subjects. L-arginine infusions significantly improved all symptoms suggesting stroke within 30 min, and oral administration significantly decreased frequency and severity of stroke-like episodes. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in patients showed a significant decrease than those in the controls. Two years of oral supplementation of L-arginine significantly improved endothelial function to the control levels and was harmonized with the normalized plasma levels of L-arginine in patients. L-arginine therapy showed promise in treating stroke-like episodes in MELAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahi Machi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan. yasukoga@med.kurume-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yasutoshi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akita
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishioka
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yatsuga
authors.forename: Nataliya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Povalko
authors.forename: Koujyu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katayama
authors.forename: Toyojiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuishi
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002956:Citrulline / Q000097:blood; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017241:MELAS Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009589:Nitrogen Oxides / Q000097:blood; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D009589:Nitrogen Oxides; C487735:dimethylarginine; D002956:Citrulline; D001120:Arginine