Accumulation of symetric dimethylarginine in hepatorenal syndrome.

In patients with cirrhosis, nitric oxide (NO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and possibly symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) have been linked to the severity of the disease. We investigated whether plasma levels of dimethylarginines and NO are elevated in patients with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), compared with patients with cirrhosis without renal failure (no- HRS). Plasma levels of NO, ADMA, SDMA, and L-arginine were measured in 11 patients with HRS, seven patients with no-HRS, and six healthy volunteers. SDMA concentration in HRS was higher than in no-HRS and healthy subjects (1.47 6 0.25 vs. 0.38 6 0.06 and 0.29 6 0.04 lM, respectively; P , 0.05). ADMA and NOx concentrations were hi…