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 3,505 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.