TY - JOUR

T1 - Predictors of asymmetric dimethylarginine levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

T2 - the role of insulin resistance

AU - Dimitroulas, T

AU - Sandoo, A

AU - Veldhuijzen van Zanten, J J J C S

AU - Smith, J P

AU - Hodson, J

AU - Metsios, G S

AU - Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou, A

AU - Kitas, G D

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether demographic, inflammatory, and metabolic factors predict elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).METHOD: A total of 67 RA patients [mean age 56 ± 12 years, median disease duration 8 (3-15) years] were assessed. Routine biochemistry tests, lipid profile, glycaemic profile [glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)], and inflammatory markers were measured in all patients. ADMA levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of ADMA in RA.RESULTS: Regression analysis revealed that HOMA (β = 0.149, p = 0.003) was an independent predictor of ADMA in RA. From the drug factors, anti-hypertensive medication use was associated with lower ADMA levels (β = -0.081, p = 0.004). ADMA was not associated with RA disease-related parameters or any of the other cardiovascular risk factors that were assessed.CONCLUSIONS: HOMA, a strong indicator of insulin resistance, seems to be the main predictor of elevated ADMA levels in RA patients; ADMA may reflect an important pathway linking abnormal insulin metabolism with endothelial dysfunction in RA.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To determine whether demographic, inflammatory, and metabolic factors predict elevated asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).METHOD: A total of 67 RA patients [mean age 56 ± 12 years, median disease duration 8 (3-15) years] were assessed. Routine biochemistry tests, lipid profile, glycaemic profile [glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI)], and inflammatory markers were measured in all patients. ADMA levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of ADMA in RA.RESULTS: Regression analysis revealed that HOMA (β = 0.149, p = 0.003) was an independent predictor of ADMA in RA. From the drug factors, anti-hypertensive medication use was associated with lower ADMA levels (β = -0.081, p = 0.004). ADMA was not associated with RA disease-related parameters or any of the other cardiovascular risk factors that were assessed.CONCLUSIONS: HOMA, a strong indicator of insulin resistance, seems to be the main predictor of elevated ADMA levels in RA patients; ADMA may reflect an important pathway linking abnormal insulin metabolism with endothelial dysfunction in RA.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Arginine

KW - Arthritis, Rheumatoid

KW - Female

KW - Homeostasis

KW - Humans

KW - Insulin Resistance

KW - Male

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Journal Article

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

U2 - 10.3109/03009742.2012.747627

DO - 10.3109/03009742.2012.747627

M3 - Article

C2 - 23311682

VL - 42

SP - 176

EP - 181

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology

SN - 0300-9742

IS - 3

ER -