title: Ethnicity-specific differences in L-arginine status in South African men.
abstract: The aetiology for an increasing incidence of hypertensive cardiovascular disease amongst Africans in southern Africa is unclear. Hypertension may be induced by inadequate release of L-arginine-derived nitric oxide impairing vascular tone regulation. In addition, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is associated with cardiovascular disease. We compared profiles of L-arginine in African and Caucasian men of similar age with cardiovascular risk factors. We studied 163 Caucasian and 132 African men, respectively, (20 to 70 years) measuring serum L-arginine, ADMA, creatinine, urea, symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and blood pressure. L-arginine levels were significantly lower, whereas blood pressure and pulse wave velocity were significantly higher in African men. Simple linear regression showed ADMA more strongly associated with L-arginine in Caucasians (r=0.59 vs 0.19), whereas association of SDMA with L-arginine was significant only in Caucasians (r=0.43 vs 0.001). The stronger association of L-arginine with ADMA in Caucasian men was confirmed by multiple regression analysis (β=0.46 vs 0.25).Our findings show that the relationship of cardiovascular risk factors with serum L-arginine and some of its catabolites is different in African and Caucasian men and that this may be associated with a relatively higher prevalence of hypertension in African men.
authors: Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Glyn
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Anderssohn
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Lüneburg
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Van Rooyen
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Schutte
authors: H W
authors: HW
authors: Huisman
authors: C M T
authors: CM
authors: Fourie
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Smith
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Malan
authors: N T
authors: NT
authors: Malan
authors: C M C
authors: CM
authors: Mels
authors: R H
authors: RH
authors: Böger
authors: A E
authors: AE
authors: Schutte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D044383:Black People; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa; D044465:White People
chemical_list: C024917:symmetric dimethylarginine; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine