Author(s)

O. Erhabor^1*, A. B. Ibrahim¹, Y. Abdulrahaman¹, A. H. Chiroma¹, M. Imoru¹, F. P. Udomah¹, M. Ahmed¹, K. Ibrahin¹, H. Buhari¹, A. Okwesili¹, O. Onuigwe¹, H. M. Liman², K. Van Dyke³, N. B. Egenti⁴, I. P. Iwueke⁵

¹Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
²Department of Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
³Department of Biochemistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA.
⁴Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria.
⁵Pathology Department, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital Kware, Sokoto, Nigeria.

Hypertension is a major public health problem that adversely affects the health status of individuals, families and communities. L-arginine levels of a total of 90 consecutively-recruited hypertensive subjects and 50 age-matched non-hypertensive controls were studied. Plasma from subjects and control participants were analyzed for L-arginine. The mean values of L-arginine level were significantly lower among the hypertensive subjects which are (174.33 ± 78.31 μmol/L) compared to those of the 50 non-hypertensive controls (237.82 ± 261.16 μmol/L) (p = 0.04). There was no statistically significant difference in the L-arginine levels of hypertensive subjects based on gender, age and ethnici-ty (p = 0.87, 0.23 and 0.57) respectively. The L-arginine level was significantly higher among married hypertensive subjects (181.71 ± 78.17 μmol/L) compared to single or unmarried subjects (130.62 ± 65.99 μmol/L) (p = 0.03). The mean value of L-arginine level was significantly higher among hypertensive subjects with mild blood pressure (187.63 ± 77.93 μmol/L) compared to those with high blood pressure (156.93 ± 76.31 μmol/L). The difference however was not statistically significant (p = 0.05). The findings from this study confirm that the level of L-arginine is lower among hypertensive subjects compared to non-hypertensive controls. Age, gender and ethnicity did not have a significant effect on the L-arginine levels of hypertensive subjects. L-arginine level was significantly lower among single hypertensive patients and those with markedly raised blood pressure. It is recommended the L-arginine supplement be prescribed to hypertensive patient as a prophylactic measure. There is a need to enlighten hypertensive patients in the area on the need to maintain a balanced diet containing sufficient level of L-arginine.

L-Arginine, Hypertensive Patients, Sokoto, Nigeria

Erhabor, O. , Ibrahim, A. , Abdulrahaman, Y. , Chiroma, A. , Imoru, M. , Udomah, F. , Ahmed, M. , Ibrahin, K. , Buhari, H. , Okwesili, A. , Onuigwe, O. , Liman, H. , Dyke, K. , Egenti, N. and Iwueke, I. (2017) L-Arginine Levels among Hypertensive Patients in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria. Open Journal of Blood Diseases, 7, 1-15. doi: 10.4236/ojbd.2017.71001.