Abstract
Methylated amino acids are excreted in urine upon degradation of some tissue proteins. The urinary excretion ratios of N G,N′ G-dimethylarginine (sym-DMA) and N G,N G-dimethylarginine ( unsym-DMA) were studied in healthy adults and in patients with various diseases. The normal ratio of sym- to unsym-DMA in urine was 0.98 and ranged from 0.71 to 1.33; ratios were not significantly different in multiple sclerosis, cerebrovascular accident, cancer, and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, patients with liver disease, including chronic active hepatitis, were found on average to have a significantly altered ratio of 0.79, range 0.49–1.30, owing to an increase in the excretion of unsym-DMA. Hence measurements of the urinary excretion of dimethylarginine could become a useful aid in assessing recovery of liver cells in patients with chronic liver disease.
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