Table 3 Reactive hyperemia index and nitric oxide bioavailability assessed at two time points after surgery

Reactive hyperemia index

1.64 (1.52–1.77)

1.75 (1.63–1.89)

0.34

L-arginine; μmol.l^− 1

56.94 (52.45–61.43)

72.76 (67.62–77.91)

<  0.0001

ADMA; μmol.l^− 1

0.38 (0.34–0.41)

0.42 (0.39–0.46)

0.048

L-arginine/ADMA

158.46 (141.25–177.75)

175.59 (155.75–197.95)

0.097

BH₄; nmol.l^− 1

7.90 (7.22–8.59)

6.47 (5.69–7.25)

0.0008

BH₂; nmol.l^− 1

4.11 (3.67–4.61)

3.73 (3.41–4.07)

0.23

BH₂/BH₄

0.56 (0.48–0.65)

0.68 (0.55–0.83)

0.052

BH₂and biopterin metabolites; nmol.l^− 1

11.99 (11.08–12.96)

9.89 (9.06–10.78)

0.0001