title: Carotid restenosis is associated with plasma ADMA concentrations in carotid endarterectomy patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this work has been to study the association between plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations and carotid stenosis in a group of 64 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Arginine, ADMA and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) were measured using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection. An evaluation of plasma concentrations of total cysteine (tCys) and total homocysteine (tHcy) was also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pearson's analysis show a positive correlation between ADMA and carotid stenosis (r=0.37, p=0.003), which is also confirmed after stepwise multiple linear regression analysis. ADMA plasma concentrations were significantly associated with tHcy (r=0.40, p=0.001) and to a lesser extent, even if not significantly, with tCys (r=0.23, p=0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that plasma ADMA is involved in carotid narrowing after CEA intervention. This suggests that this molecule may have an important role in the events that lead to stenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Centre of Excellence for Biotechnology Development and Biodiversity Research, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy. angelozinellu@libero.it
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zinellu
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sotgia
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porcu
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Casu
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bivona
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chessa
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deiana
authors.forename: Ciriaco
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carru
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D003545:Cysteine