title: Plasma dimethylarginine levels in chronic hemodialysis patients are independent of the type of dialyzer applied.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels are increased in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Reports on the effect of various dialysis strategies on ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and L-arginine levels are inconclusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this randomized crossover study, 15 patients were dialyzed for 4 weeks with 4 dialyzers, differing in biocompatibility and flux. Dimethylarginine and L-arginine levels were assessed at baseline, and after 4 weeks both before and after HD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During HD, ADMA and SDMA levels decreased significantly with all dialyzers. Dimethylarginine and L-arginine levels remained stable after 4 weeks of HD with each membrane. After pooling all data, values were mainly explained by variation between time points and patients, not by the type of dialyzer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite an intradialytic decrease in dimethylarginines, no changes occurred after 4 weeks of HD with either membrane. Furthermore, the variability of AMDA, SDMA and L-arginine levels was far more dependent on patient-related factors than on the type of dialyzer applied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. mpc.grooteman@vumc.nl
authors.forename: Muriel P C
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Grooteman
authors.forename: Inge M P M J
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Wauters
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Teerlink
authors.forename: Jos W R
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Twisk
authors.forename: Menso J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nubé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D015926:Complement C3a / Q000032:analysis; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; C044541:complement C3a, des-Arg-(77)-; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C024917:symmetric dimethylarginine; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D015926:Complement C3a; D001120:Arginine