Association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) concentrations among the elderly in a rural community: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Reduced glomerular filtration rate and increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are prevalent in elderly people. However, most of the studies that have examined the association between the two conditions were performed in patients with renal dysfunction, but not in the general elderly population. Thus, we investigated an association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and ADMA concentration among community-dwelling older Koreans. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 269 men and 382 women (mean age, 71.6 years) enrolled in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (KSHAP), a population-based cohort study of health determinants in elderly Koreans. We calculated eGFR using chronic kidney disease- Epidemiology Collaboration Group (CKD-EPI) equation. ADMA concentration was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The association between eGFR and ADMA concentrations was analyzed by multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: The mean ADMA was significantly higher in people with eGFR< 60 mL/min/1.73m(2) (0.691 μmol/L) than in those with eGFR≥60 mL/min/1.73m(2) (0.667 μmol/L, p = 0.013). The negative correlations between eGFR level and ADMA concentrations were significant in men and women after adjusted age. After adjusting for potential confounders which were sex, age, body surface, blood pressure, total and HDL cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and drinking, eGFR levels were inversely associated with ADMA concentrations both in men (β = − 0.0015, p = 0.005) and women (β = − 0.001, p = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that an inverse association exists between eGFR and ADMA concentrations among the Korean elderly in a rural community.