A Study of L-Arginine to Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Ratio in Middle Aged Hypertensive Men and Effect of Aerobic Training on this Variable

Endothelial function has an effect on blood pressure and meanwhile, the ratio of L-Arginine/Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (L-Arg/ ADMA) is important. In addition, the effect of exercise training on blood pressure has been established. The present study intends to examine LArg / ADMA ratio in patients with hypertensive middle-aged men and the effect of aerobic training on it.
Subjects and In this quasi-experimental study, 12 normo-tensive and 24 hypertensive middle-aged men (age: 49.66  2.8 y, height: 174.16  4.66 cm, weight: 81.08  12.65 Kg) were selected. The hypertensive subjects were further sub-divided into two groups. 12 for control (age: 52.08  2.53 y, height: 173.75  5.81 cm, weight: 80.08  8.26 Kg) and 12 for aerobic training (age: 50.54  3.01 y, height: 177.01  5.98 cm, weight: 86.09  13.15 Kg). The training included 12 wks treadmill aerobic running with 60 % heart rate reserve, three times-a-week for 12 min each session. each week up to the 6th week 3 min and then every two weeks 3 min were added to the training time. So that training in the last two weeks was 36 min. Blood pressure and samples for the measurement of L-Arg/ADMA ratio were taken before and after the training period. Blood variables were measured by ELISA method. Normality of distribution of data was assessed with the Shapiro-Wilk test and between subjects differences was assessed with independent t-test and analysis of variance with repeated measures.
Results showed that the L-Arg/ADMA ratio is more in patients than in healthy subjects (t=5.099, P=0.0001) and sub maximal aerobic training significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (F=8.698, P=0.008) and increased L-Arg /ADMA (F=10.741, P=0.004).
It seems that endothelial function in patients with hypertension is impaired and these patients can do aerobic training to relieve pressure and improve endothelial function.