Therefore, our findings, although they reached only borderline significance, are in line with the results of Drechsler et al. who could demonstrate a strong correlation of low homoarginine concentrations with prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy as well as congestive heart failure and high levels of brain natriuretic peptide in patients with diabetes under haemodialysis [36]. The gene discussed is NPPB; the disease is left ventricular hypertrophy.