Oral contraceptives modify DNA methylation and monocyte-derived macrophage function

Table 3 Plasma arginine and plasma methylated arginine

Arginine type	Fs, n = 72	FOCs, n = 67	P value	FOCA⁺, n = 28	FOCA^-, n = 39	P value
Arginine (μM)	77.4 ± 15.5	55.7 ± 13.9	< 0.001	55.97 ± 13.86	55.52 ± 14.04	NS
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (μM)	0.5 (0.3 to 0.8)	0.4 (0.3 to 0.7)	< 0.001	0.44 ± 0.13	0.41 ± 0.11	NS
Symmetric dimethylarginine (μM)	0.4 (0.2 to 0.7)	0.4 (0.2 to 0.6)	NS	0.43 ± 0.09	0.40 ± 0.10	NS
Asymmetric dimethylarginine/asymmetric dimethylarginine	1.2 (0.7 to 1.9)	1.0 (0.6 to 2.4)	< 0.001	1.0 (0.6 to 2.0)	0.9 (0.6 to 2.4)	NS
Asymmetric dimethylarginine/arginine	0.006 (0.004 to 0.01)	0.007 (0.004 to 0.01)	0.026	0.008 (0.004 to 0.01)	0.007 (0.004 to 0.01)	NS

Data are expressed as the mean ± SD or as medians and ranges; n indicates the number of samples used to calculate the statistics.
FOCA⁺/FOCA^- = FOCs further stratified as a function of androgenic (FOCA⁺) and non-androgenic (FOCA^-) properties of progestins; FOCs = women treated with OCs for at least 3 months; Fs = women who had not used OCs for at least 3 months to ensure a sufficient washout period; NS = not significant; OC = oral contraceptive.

ISSN: 2042-6410