Cardiol Res

Cardiology Research, ISSN 1923-2829 print, 1923-2837 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, Cardiol Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.cardiologyres.org

Original Article

Volume 3, Number 3, June 2012, pages 109-115

Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Levels are Highly Associated With Atrial Fibrillation in an Elderly Population

Figure 1. Number of patients with AF according to quartiles of vWF levels. The arrow indicates the cut-off value (median level) used for risk estimation.

Figure 2. Number of patients with AF according to quartiles of ADMA levels (a) and the L-arginine/ADMA ratio (b). The arrows indicate the cut-off value (25th percentile) used for risk estimation.

**Table 1.** Baseline Characteristics of the Study Population According to Groups of Cases (AF) and Controls, Data are Presented as Mean Value (SD) or Proportions
	Cases (AF) (n = 62)	Controls (n = 124)	P-value
SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; ACE: Angiotensin converting enzyme. P-values refer to differences between groups.
Gender (female/male) (n)	18/44	37/87	ns
Coronary heart disease n (%)	21 (34)	17 (14)	0.001
Hypertension n (%)	33 (55)	51 (41)	0.077
Diabetes n (%)	7 (11)	5 (4)	0.058
Heart failure n (%)	9 (15)	1 (0.8)	< 0.001
BMI (kg/m²)	25.3 (3.7)	25.5 (3.2)	ns
Creatinine (mmol/L)	84 (22)	81 (24)	ns
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	5.0 (1.0)	5.5 (1.1)	0.002
HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)	1.7 (0.6)	1.7 (0.5)	ns
Triglycerides (mmol/L)	1.1 (0.6)	1.1 (0.6)	ns
Fasting glucose (mmol/L)	5.7 (1.7)	5.2 (0.7)	0.006
SBP (mmHg)	142 (21)	147 (17)	ns
DBP (mmHg)	82 (10)	81 (9)	ns
Medications n (%)
ACE inhibitors	18 (29)	16 (13)	0.007
Beta blockers	24 (39)	20 (16)	0.001
Statins	29 (23)	28 (47)	0.001

Table 1. Baseline Characteristics of the Study Population According to Groups of Cases (AF) and Controls, Data are Presented as Mean Value (SD) or Proportions

Cases (AF) (n = 62)

Controls (n = 124)

P-value

SBP: systolic blood pressure; DBP: diastolic blood pressure; LVEF: left ventricular ejection fraction; ACE: Angiotensin converting enzyme. P-values refer to differences between groups.

Gender (female/male) (n)

18/44

37/87

Coronary heart disease n (%)

21 (34)

17 (14)

0.001

Hypertension n (%)

33 (55)

51 (41)

0.077

Diabetes n (%)

7 (11)

5 (4)

0.058

Heart failure n (%)

9 (15)

1 (0.8)

< 0.001

BMI (kg/m²)

25.3 (3.7)

25.5 (3.2)

Creatinine (mmol/L)

84 (22)

81 (24)

Total cholesterol (mmol/L)

5.0 (1.0)

5.5 (1.1)

0.002

HDL-cholesterol (mmol/L)

1.7 (0.6)

1.7 (0.5)

Triglycerides (mmol/L)

1.1 (0.6)

Fasting glucose (mmol/L)

5.7 (1.7)

5.2 (0.7)

0.006

SBP (mmHg)

142 (21)

147 (17)

DBP (mmHg)

82 (10)

81 (9)

Medications n (%)

ACE inhibitors

18 (29)

16 (13)

0.007

Beta blockers

24 (39)

20 (16)

0.001

Statins

29 (23)

28 (47)

0.001

**Table 2.** Levels of Endothelial Cell Markers According to Groups of Cases (AF) and Controls, Data are Presented as Mean Value (SD) if not Otherwise Stated
	Cases (AF) (n = 62)	Controls (n = 124)	P-value Crude	P-value Adjusted²
¹Median (25, 75 percentiles); Mann Whitney U test; ²Adjusted for coronary heart disease, heart failure, total cholesterol, fasting glucose and use of medication; ³Additionally adjusted for creatinine and body mass index.
E-selectin (ng/mL)¹	35.4 (25.8, 48.6)	36.3 (25.8, 48.3)	0.980
VCAM-1 (ng/mL)¹	865 (745, 1067)	832 (734, 980)	0.162
VWF (%)	148 (45)	134 (39)	0.023	0.075
ADMA (umol/L)³	0.69 (0.13)	0.62 (0.12)	0.001	0.001
L-arginine (µmol/L)	77 (13)	74 (13)	0.240
L-arginine/ADMA ratio³	114 (23)	123 (27)	0.021	0.037

Table 2. Levels of Endothelial Cell Markers According to Groups of Cases (AF) and Controls, Data are Presented as Mean Value (SD) if not Otherwise Stated

Cases (AF)
(n = 62)

Controls
(n = 124)

P-value
Crude

P-value
Adjusted²

¹Median (25, 75 percentiles); Mann Whitney U test; ²Adjusted for coronary heart disease, heart failure, total cholesterol, fasting glucose and use of medication; ³Additionally adjusted for creatinine and body mass index.

E-selectin (ng/mL)¹

35.4 (25.8, 48.6)

36.3 (25.8, 48.3)

0.980

VCAM-1 (ng/mL)¹

865 (745, 1067)

832 (734, 980)

0.162

VWF (%)

148 (45)

134 (39)

0.023

0.075

ADMA (umol/L)³

0.69 (0.13)

0.62 (0.12)

0.001

L-arginine (µmol/L)

77 (13)

74 (13)

0.240

L-arginine/ADMA ratio³

114 (23)

123 (27)

0.021

0.037