Asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) and coronary endothelial function in patients with coronary artery disease and mild hypercholesterolemia

Objective: To investigate the association of the endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) and coronary endothelial function. Methods and results: In 289 patients with coronary artery disease we assessed coronary endothelium-dependent and -independent vascular responses to intracoronary infusion of acetylcholine, adenosine, and nitroglycerin, respectively, and determined plasma ADMA and L-arginine concentrations by HPLC. After 6 months of treatment with either cerivastatin, nifedipine, cerivastatin + nifedipine, or placebo, coronary vascular function testing as well as ADMA and L-arginine determinations were repeated. We observed no correlation of plasma ADMA or L-arginine concentration and coronary response to acetylcholine, adenosine or nitroglycerin baseline, and no correlation of changes of ADMA or L-arginine plasma concentration with changes in coronary function (all r and rho < 0.3, all p > 0.05). Conclusion: At physiological plasma concentrations ADMA appears to have only little impact on coronary endothelial function. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.