title: Asymmetric Dimethylarginin (ADMA) as a Marker of Endothelial Dysfunction in Primary Aldosteronism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have revealed a higher rate of cardiovascular complications in primary aldosteronism (PA) compared to patients with essential hypertension (EH). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is a marker of endothelial dysfunction that could contribute to increased cardiovascular risk in patients with PA.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the levels of ADMA among patients with PA, controls with EH and healthy participants. Methods: Serum ADMA levels were determined, using commercially available competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum ADMA levels were determined, using commercially available competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with PA had significantly higher concentrations of ADMA than healthy controls (0.488 ± 0.085 vs. 0.433 ± 0.053 μmol/L, P = 0.027). No difference was found in ADMA levels between cases with PA and EH (0.488 ± 0.085 vs. 0.476 ± 0.075 μmol/L, р = 0.636). The difference between patients with EH and normotensive controls did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.06).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of difference between ADMA levels in patients with PA and EH suggests that endothelial dysfunction is more likely related to hypertension per se than to the specific etiology of elevated blood pressure.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matrozova
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasilev
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandeva
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Atanaska
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elenkova
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kirilov
authors.affiliation: Clinical Centre of Endocrinology, Medical University-Sofia, Zdrave 2 St, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaharieva
keywords: Asymmetric Dimethylarginine; Endothelial Dysfunction; Hypertension; Primary Aldosteronism