Increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels and decreased homocysteine thiolactonase/paraoxonase (HTLase/PONase) activities are related to the risk of cardiovascular disease in prediabetic/diabetic patients

Objective: Individuals with impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose are at high risk, not only to develop diabetes mellitus, but also to experience cardiovascular disease later in their life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk markers (such as serum ADMA, homocysteine, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, small dense LDL levels, paraoxonase/homocysteine thiolactonase and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase activities between patients with diabetes, prediabetes, and control group. Methods: Subjects were grouped as Type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=20), IGT (n= 16), IFG (n=19) and control group (n=23). Enzyme activities were measured spectrophotometrically. ADMA levels were measured by HPLC. Serum concentrations of homocysteine were measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. sLDL was measured by using heparin-magnesium precipitation method. h-CRP was measured by using immuno nephelometric method. Results: Plasma ADMA levels were significantly lower in the control group than the IFG, IGT, DM groups (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.01 respectively). Serum HTLase activity was significantly higher in the control group than in the IFG, IGT, DM groups (p<0.01, p<0.01, p<0.001 respectively). No difference was found in plasma Hcy, sLDL, h-CRP concentrations and PAF-AH acivity between groups. Conclusion: We concluded that increased ADMA levels and decreased HTLase/PONase activities in prediabetic patients can indicate that the risk of atherosclerosis in prediabetic stage.