Background: Asymmetrical dimethyl arginine (ADMA) is a competitive inhibitor in the production of nitric oxide (NO) from arginine and NO plays an important role in the preservation of vascular dilation. Elevated ADMA is a strong predictive factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) patterns contain factors that may influence plasma ADMA levels. The present study examined the association between the DASH score and AHEI score with plasma ADMA concentration in people with suspected heart disease selected for coronary angiography.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 148 people aged 40-80 years who were referred for coronary angiography. The DASH diet score and AHEI score were calculated for each individual based on food groups. Plasma ADMA levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Results: ADMA concentrations were higher in the CAD group compared to the non-CAD group [0.98 (0.37) μmol L(-1) compared to 0.84 (0.42) μmol L(-1) ; P = 0.02]. There was a significant negative association between the quartile DASH score and ADMA concentration (standardised β = -0.172, P = 0.038). The ADMA concentration was lower in patients who were at the highest quartile of DASH score compared to patients with the lowest quintile score. The ADMA concentration and quartiles of AHEI score were not significantly associated.
Conclusions: Higher scores of the DASH diet are associated with lower plasma ADMA levels and with reduced coronary artery stenosis.
Keywords: asymmetric dimethyl arginine; coronary artery disease; diet; healthy eating.
© 2015 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.