Positive correlation of airway resistance and serum asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in bronchial asthma patients lacking evidence for systemic inflammation.

Contribution of nitric-oxide (NO) pathway to the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma (asthma) is ambiguous as NO may confer both protective and detrimental effects depending on the NO synthase (NOS) isoforms, tissue compartments and underlying pathological conditions (e.g. systemic inflammation). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor and uncoupler of NOS with distinct selectivity for NOS isoforms. In a cross-sectional study, we assessed whether ADMA is an independent predictor of airway resistance (R 154 therapy-controlled asthma patients were recruited. ADMA, symmetric dimethylarginine and arginine were quantitated by HPLC with fluorescent detection. Pulmonary function test was done using whole-body plethysmography, quality of life via St. George's Respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ). Multiple linear regression was used to identify independent determinants of R Evidence for systemic inflammation indicated by CRP and procalcitonin was lacking in our sample. Log R Positive correlation between R