Levels of asymmetrical dimethylarginine are predictive of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation 6 years later. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
OBJECTIVE
Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a novel risk factor for atherosclerosis and has been observed to associate with endothelial function in cross-section studies. In the present study our aim was to investigate whether plasma ADMA levels are predictive of brachial artery endothelial function in a prospective setting.


RESULTS
Using ultrasound we measured brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) both in 2001 and 2007 in 1808 healthy subjects aged 24-39 years at baseline. Plasma methylarginines were determined by isocratic high-pressure liquid chromatography in 2001. In a multivariable model adjusted with brachial diameter and conventional cardiovascular risk factors, baseline ADMA levels had a significant inverse association with FMD measured 6 years later (β±SE: -1.89±0.69%, P=0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that plasma ADMA can predict brachial artery FMD in subjects without prevalent atherosclerotic disease. These data suggest that plasma ADMA may have a determinative role in predicting endothelial function.
Päivä
Hannu
H
Division of Emergency, University Hospital of Tampere and University of Tampere Medical School, Tampere, Finland. hannu.paiva@pshp.fi
Kähönen
Mika
M
Lehtimäki
Terho
T
Alfthan
Georg
G
Viikari
Jorma
J
Laaksonen
Reijo
R
Hutri-Kähönen
Nina
N
Laitinen
Tomi
T
Taittonen
Leena
L
Raitakari
Olli T
OT
Juonala
Markus
M
D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine