Asymmetrical Dimethylarginine Levels in Hepatitis B Virus-Positive Patients

BACKGROUND: High asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels have been associated with endothelial dysfunction and contribute to the development of several diseases. However, data on the relationship between hepatitis B virus (HBV) and ADMA are limited. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between ADMA and HBV by comparing the ADMA levels in patients with chronic active hepatitis B (CHB), inactive HBV carriers (carriers), and healthy volunteers (controls). METHODS: The participants were divided into three groups: 90 patients with CHB, 90 HBV carriers, and 90 controls. Serum ADMA levels were quantified using an ELISA kit (Cusabio, Wuhan, China). The data were analyzed using an ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test as appropriate, with P<0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: Serum ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients with CHB (228.35±91.10 ng/mL) than in HBV carriers (207.80±75.80 ng/mL) and controls (207.61±89.10 ng/mL) (P=0.049). The clinical scores of the patients were positively correlated with ADMA levels. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated serum ADMA levels in patients with CHB confirm that HBV plays a role in vasculitis. Further investigation of the mechanisms contributing to the high levels of ADMA in CHB may contribute toward development of new treatment modalities.