Asymmetric dimethylarginine is not elevated in exfoliation syndrome but symmetric dimethylarginine is related to exfoliative glaucoma

Background Hyperhomocysteinemia (HH), oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction are all implicated as possible pathogenetic factors in exfoliation syndrome (XFS) and exfoliative glaucoma (XFG). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide and plasma level of ADMA is often elevated in HH. Thus the present study was undertaken to study plasma levels of ADMA with concomitant measurement of symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and L-arginine (L-Arg) in XFS and XFG.