Relationship between serum asymmetric dimethylarginine levels and severity of coronary heart disease

AIM To study the relationship between serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels and severity of coronary heart disease. METHODS A total of 45 patients with coronary heart disease were enrolled and divided into two groups: angina pectoris (Including stable angina and unstable angina, n=23) group, acute myocardial infarction (n=22) group. Clinical history was recorded, myocardial enzyme, TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, hs-CRP and serum ADMA levels were measured. Coronary artery lesions were assessed by a Syntax scoring system. The correlation between serum ADMA levels and Syntax score, TG, TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, hs-CRP was analysed. RESULTS Serum ADMA level ［(60±24)μg/L］ in the AMI group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that in the angina pectoris group ［(31±21) μg/L］ (P<0.05). The levels of LDL-C and hs-CRP were positively correlated with serum ADMA levels in all patients. Serum ADMA levels and Syntax score of coronary stenosis were positively correlated in all patients. CONCLUSION Plasma ADMA levels are a relative factor of severity of coronary heart disease.