Objective: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a methylated L-arginine analog, is a major endogenous competitive inhibitor of Nitric oxide (NO). NO is an important critical vasoactive mediator synthesized by the vascular endothelium, previously referred to as endothelium-derived relaxing factor. ADMA is a novel risk factor and a novel statement of endothelial dysfunction. ADMA levels are clinically increased in several clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, insulin resistance syndrome, dyslipidemia.

Material and Methods: Thirty-one healthy children and 39 patients with Type 1 DM diagnosis, routinely followed by Keçiören Training and Research Hospital Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic between 2011 and 2013 were included in the study. Gender, age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar values and diabetes duration were obtained from patient files. Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, ADMA, HbA1c, folate and homocysteine levels were compared between the two groups. results: There were no significant differences between the Type 1 DM group and the control group with respect to age, gender, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Average ADMA level in the Type 1 DM patient group (0.7±0.4 µmol/L) was significantly higher than the control group (0.6±0.1 µmol/L) (p=0.004). The homocysteine and folate levels for the two groups were similar and the differences were not significant (p=0.368 and 0.887, respectively).conclusion: The relation between endothelium damage and ADMA may lead to follow up ADMA measurement values being used as a pre marker for vascular damage in type 1 diabetes, and in turn help in preventing vascular complications

Keywords: ADMA, Homocysteine, Diabetes mellitus, Children