Asymmetric dimethylarginine: clinical applications in pediatric medicine.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Growing evidence indicates that ADMA plays an important role in the initiation and progression of a variety of adulthood diseases, especially in the cardiovascular and renal systems. However, the study of ADMA in pediatric diseases has just begun. This review provides an overview of potential clinical applications of ADMA in pediatric practice, with an emphasis on the following areas: the biochemistry and pathophysiology of ADMA; clinical ramifications of elevated ADMA levels in pediatric population; age-related normal reference ranges of ADMA; methodology for measuring ADMA; current and potential agents to reduce ADMA; and the problems that must be addressed before use of ADMA in pediatric medicine. ADMA will soon be available for use as a biomarker and therapeutic target in the pediatric population.