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  • Letter to the Editor
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Comment on Dorniak-Wall et al.’s paper on L-arginine for pre-eclampsia

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 28, page 282 (2014)Cite this article

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The recent article by Dorniak-Wall et al.1 on the role of L-arginine to prevent or treat pre-eclampsia reviewed the rationale for increasing substrate availability for production of nitric oxide (NO) in pre-eclamptic patients or those at risk for pre-eclampsia. The authors concluded that the current studies suggest significant risk reduction for these patients, although more studies are needed.

Dorniak-Wall et al.1 propose that the dysfunctional aspects of NO production that is present in pre-eclampsia is not due to L-arginine availability, but due to the presence of other competing factors. These include increased asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), which is a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, and the increased production of oxygen free radicals that quickly degrade NO to peroxynitrite.2 They also note that inhibition of L-arginine transport may also be a factor in the development of pre-eclampsia.3

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References

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  1. Interdisciplinary Pain Management Clinic, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA, USA

    D T Lowe

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Correspondence to D T Lowe.

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The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

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Lowe, D. Comment on Dorniak-Wall et al.’s paper on L-arginine for pre-eclampsia. J Hum Hypertens 28, 282 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2013.138

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