Table 3.
Comparison of plasma levels of l-arginine metabolites in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with and without cardiovascular risk factors
| CV risk factors | ADMA (μmol/L) | SDMA (μmol/L) | ArgMI | GABR | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of patients | Value | p Value | Value | p Value | Value | p Value | Value | p Value | |
| History of diabetes (+) | 98 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.484 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
0.652 | 6.6 ± 1.9 6.3 (5.4–7.3) |
0.031 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
0.556 |
| History of diabetes (−) | 21 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.9) |
0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
5.9 ± 1.3 6.1 (5–6.4) |
0.4 ± 0.2, 0.4 (0.3–0.5) |
||||
| History of hyperlipidemia (−) | 63 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.260 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
0.054 | 6.5 ± 2.2 6.1 (5.3–7.1) |
0.850 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.4 (0.3–0.5) |
0.259 |
| History of hyperlipidemia (+) | 56 | 0.7 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.6 ± 0.2 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
6.5 ± 1.4 6.5 (5.7–7) |
0.3 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
||||
| History of HTN (−) | 48 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.7 (0.7–0.8) |
0.662 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.5) |
0.006* | 6.3 ± 1.7 6 (5.3–7.4) |
0.346 | 0.4 ± 0.1 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
0.875 |
| History of HTN (+) | 71 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.6 ± 0.2 0.5 (0.5–0.6) |
6.6 ± 2 6.4 (5.7–7) |
0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.3–0.4) |
||||
| Two or more CVD risk factors | 46 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.640 | 0.6 ± 0.2 0.5 (0.5–0.6) |
0.108 | 6.5 ± 1.4 6.4 (5.8–6.9) |
0.986 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.3–0.4) |
0.827 |
| Less than two CVD risk factors | 73 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
6.5 ± 2.1 6.1 (5.3–7.3) |
0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.5) |
||||
| Smoking (−) | 62 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.7 (0.7–0.8) |
0.313 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
0.754 | 6.5 ± 1.6 6.2 (5.5–7) |
0.912 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
0.968 |
| Smoking (+) | 57 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.5 ± 0.2 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
6.5 ± 2.2 6.1 (5.1–7.2) |
0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
||||
| History of CVD (−) | 101 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.542 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
0.379 | 6.6 ± 1.9 6.2 (5.4–7.3) |
0.270 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.2–0.4) |
0.473 |
| History of CVD (+) | 17 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.5 ± 0.1 0.5(0.4–0.6) |
6.2 ± 1.2 6.4 (5–6.7) |
0.4 ± 0.2 0.4 (0.2–0.6) |
||||
| Seropositive (+) | 85 | 0.8 ± 0.1 0.8 (0.7–0.8) |
0.293 | 0.5 ± 0.1 0.5 (0.4–0.6) |
0.035 | 6.2 ± 1.4 6 (5.3–6.9) |
0.03 | 0.4 ± 0.2 0.3 (0.3–0.4) |
0.434 |
| Seronegative (−) | 34 | 0.7 ± 0.1 0.7 (0.7–0.8) |
0.6 ± 0.2 0.5 (0.5–0.6) |
7.6 ± 2.9 7.3 (6–8.8) |
0.4 ± 0.2 0.4 (0.3–0.5) |
||||
Abbreviations: ADMA Asymmetric dimethylarginine, SDMA Symmetric dimethylarginine, ArgMI Arginine methylation index (i.e., ADMA + SDMA/l-NG-monomethyl arginine), GABR Global arginine bioavailability ratio (i.e., ratio of l-arginine to l-ornithine + l-citrulline), CV Cardiovascular, CVD Cardiovascular disease, HTN Hypertension