title: L-Arginine and SDMA Serum Concentrations Are Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Even though ˪-arginine (ARG) derivatives can predict cardiovascular mortality, their role as atherosclerotic biomarkers is unclear. We tested the hypothesis if asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and the sum of both (DMA) are positively, while ARG and ARG/ADMA ratio are inversely associated with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and atherosclerotic plaque in the carotid artery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cross-sectional data of 1999 subjects (age: 45-81 years; 48.2% ♀) from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0) was used. Analysis of variance and logistic regression models were calculated and all adjusted models were corrected for sex, age, smoking status, waist-to-hip ratio and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Increased cIMT (>75th age-sex specific percentile) was found in 517 subjects (25.7%), while atherosclerotic plaque was detected in 1413 subjects (70.4%). SDMA tertiles were significantly positively associated with larger cIMT among subjects with high SDMA levels [>66th: 0.82 (95%-CI 0.80; 0.85) mm]. High SDMA levels were related to a higher odds ratio (OR) of increased cIMT [OR 1.39 (95%-CI 1.08; 1.79)]. Furthermore, ARG was positively associated with atherosclerotic plaques [OR 1.41 (95%-CI 1.07; 1.85)]. No relation was found for ADMA and atherosclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, the hypothesis of a positive association between SDMA with an increased cIMT was confirmed. Unexpectedly, ARG was positively related to atherosclerotic plaque. In view of these inconsistent findings, the impact of ARG derivatives as atherosclerotic biomarkers deserves further research.
authors.affiliation: University Medicine Greifswald, Department of Internal Medicine B, Greifswald, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahls
authors.affiliation: DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Friedrich
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom; Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atzler
authors.affiliation: University Medicine Greifswald, Department of Internal Medicine B, Greifswald, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.affiliation: DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Nauck
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Böger
authors.affiliation: DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany; Institute for Community Medicine, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Edzard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwedhelm
authors.affiliation: University Medicine Greifswald, Department of Internal Medicine B, Greifswald, Germany; DZHK-German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dörr
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: C024917:symmetric dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine