Asymmetric dimethylarginine independently predicts fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke in women: 24-year follow-up of the population study of women in Gothenburg.
OBJECTIVE
Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) reduces nitric oxide by inhibiting nitric oxide synthase is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Our study examined the association of ADMA with CVD prospectively in a healthy population-based cohort of women.


RESULTS
We measured baseline ADMA of 880 women in the Population Study of Women in Gothenburg using high-performance liquid chromatography. After adjustment for traditional risk factors, creatinine clearance, and homocysteine using Cox models, the HR (95% CI in parentheses) of CVD end points at 24 years for a 0.15 micromol/L (1 SD) increase in ADMA were: all-cause mortality 1.12 (0.96, 1.32), fatal CVD 1.30 (1.04, 1.62), total CVD events 1.29 (1.09, 1.53). The top quintile (ADMA >or=0.71 micromol/L) compared with the bottom four-fifths, conferred a cumulative risk 22 versus 14%, relative risk 1.75 (95% CI 1.18, 2.59) and population attributable risk 12.7% of total CVD events, and further identified individuals who are at higher than expected risk based on the SCORE and Framingham systems.


CONCLUSIONS
A 0.15 mumol/L increase in baseline ADMA levels is associated with approximately 30% increase in incident cardiovascular risk at 24 years in women after adjustment. ADMA levels >or=0.71 micromol/L enhances CVD risk assessment in women.
Leong
Tora
T
Department of Cardiology, Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Ireland.
Zylberstein
Dimitri
D
Graham
Ian
I
Lissner
Lauren
L
Ward
Deirdre
D
Fogarty
Jane
J
Bengtsson
Calle
C
Björkelund
Cecilia
C
Thelle
Dag
D
D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*; D013548:Sweden
D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine