title: Correlation between biopterin levels and intimal-media thickness in type-2 diabetic hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biopterins have a crucial role in the function of nitric oxide synthase, uncoupling of the enzyme leads to endothelial dysfunction and vascular damage, The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the levels of biopterins with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in hypertensive type-2 diabetic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 30 hypertensive type-2 diabetic patients and 30 normotensive non-diabetic age-matched subjects, in whom biopterins levels were measured by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Additionally, the CIMT of both the common and internal carotid arteries was measured. The levels of biopterins and CIMT were correlated using the Pearson correlation coefficient test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not find a significantly correlation between biopterins levels and CIMT. However, we found a significantly inverse correlation between the BH4/BH2 ratio and the CIMT in patients (r = -0.54, p < 0.01). A multiple regression analysis revealed that the CIMT correlated significantly and independently with the BH4/BH2 ratio.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the BH4/BH2 ratio seems to be a better marker of vascular disease than biopterin levels.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Ticomán SS and Mexican Group for Basic And Clinical Research in Internal Medicine, México, DF C,P, 03600, Mexico. clinhta@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Alberto Francisco
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Rubio-Guerra
authors.forename: Hilda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vargas-Robles
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Valle-Mondragon
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maceda-Serrano
authors.forename: Saul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huerta-Ramirez
authors.forename: Montserrat Berenice
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Duran-Salgado
authors.forename: Bruno Alfonso
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Escalante-Acosta