Asymmetric dimethylarginine, nitric oxide, and homocysteine levels, and carotis intima- media thickness in the hypercholesterolemic children

ABSTRACTAtherosclerotic heart diseases-related mortality and morbidities are the prevailinghealth problems in our country, like the other parts of the world. Atherosclerosis is theunderlying cause of theese diseases, and its clinical evidences occurs in theadulthood, but the pathologies prior to the clinical manifestations can be seen inchildhood. It?s now well understood that the risk factors which can be defined inchildhood can predict the cardiovascular risk in the future.There is no published report in the literature about relationships between ADMA withNO, homocysteine,and carotis intima-media thicknesses (IMK) inhypercholesterolemia of childhood age group. This study was designed to find thediagnostic value of ADMA for the coronary heart disease in the children with elevatedcholesterol levels; and to determine if ADMA can be used as an early marker for thisdisease, or not.The 47 hipercholesterolemic participants of this study were between 5 and 15 yearsof age, and whom were consulted to the Nutrition and Metabolism Division ofPediatrics Department of Hospital of University of Gazi, Faculty of Medicine. 20healty children were selected as control group. Participant of this study and theirfamilies were filled a health questionnaire about their general heath status and familyhistory. All participants were went under physical examination, blood pressure andheight and weight measurements, and finally their body mass indexes (BMI) werecalculated. Blood samples were obtained from participants, ADMA, homocysteine,NO, cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and trygliceride levels were measured from bloodsamples, and carotid IMK of all participants were measured via ultrasonograhictechniques. Findings of this study showed that, in hypercholesterolemic children;ADMA, and LDL cholesterol levels are likely to be elevated, in case of elevating LDLcholesterol levels NO levels are to be decreased, and carotis IMTs are elevated. Buthomocystein levels did not showed any significant relationship withhypercholesterolemia.As a conclusion, it can be suggested that ADMA, NO, and carotis IMTs can be usedfor the follow-up controls of children, whom have the risk for atherosclerosis. The roleof homocysteine was shown in the progression of atherosclerosis, and for this reasonit can be used as a single value for the prediction of atherosclerosis, rather than itsuse in hypercholesterolemic patients.