Increased serum nitric oxide metabolites in dysglycaemia

Abstract

Background: Nitric oxide plays an important role in hyperglycaemia-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between serum nitric oxide metabolite (NO_x) levels and fasting glucose in a population-based study.

Subjects and method: Serum concentration of NO_x was measured by the Griess method in 3505 participants, aged 20–94 years, selected from a population-based study.

Results: In men with impaired fasting glucose, each mmol/L increase in fasting serum glucose increased probability of serum NO_x levels higher than median (> 25 μM) by 3.05-times (OR = 3.05 [95% CI, 1.15–8.07], p = 0.025) in non-adjusted and 3.76-times (OR = 3.76 [95% CI, 1.34–10.53, p = 0.012) in multivariable-adjusted analyses, while no significant associations were found in women. A direct association between fasting glucose categories and NO_x values was found in men after multivariable adjustment (p = 0.006). Multivariable-adjusted serum NO_x was significantly (p = 0.008) higher in diabetic men [34.1 (29.5–39.6) μmol/L] compared to non-diabetic ones [29.7 (26.5–33.2) μmol/L].

Conclusion: The findings show increased serum NO_x levels in men, but not women, with impaired fasting glucose and diabetes in a population-based study.

Keywords::

• Impaired fasting glucose
• nitric oxide
• population

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Ms V. Khorasani for her technical assistance, Ms N. Shiva for critical editing for English grammar and syntax of the manuscript and Dr M. Bozorgmanesh for statistical help.

Declaration of interest: This work was supported by grant No. 177 from the Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.