Increased asymmetric dimethylarginine level after antiepileptic drug treatment may be independent of the changes in plasma homocysteine level

摘要

We have read the recent article by Sniezawska and colleagues with great interest.1 The authors investigated the frequency of polymorphism in the MTHFR (C677T), MTR (A2756G), and MTHFD1 (G1958A) genes and analysed the levels of homocysteine (Hey), methionine, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and arginine in epileptic patients treated with various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). They found that AED pharmacotherapy in epileptic patients increases Hey and ADMA levels. These authors suggested that their study showed an increase in Hecy level accompanied by an increase in ADMA level in epileptic patients receiving AEDs and concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) disrupts the feedback control of Hcy over ADMA.