en Physical Medecine& Rehabilitaion Physical Medecine& Rehabilitaion Original Research Original Research <p><strong>Background: </strong>Schizophrenia is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been suggested as a cardiovascular biomarker. Treatment with atypical antipsychotics can increase some traditional risk factors of coronary artery disease. In addition to traditional risk factors, this study is carried out as a comparison of serum levels of ADMA and non-traditional factors among patients who take two types of atypical antipsychotics.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Methods:</strong> In this clinical study, 57 schizophrenic patients with multiple episodes and 20 healthy voluntaries that fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria were entered into the study. The patients were divided into 3 groups (18 patients received risperidone alone, 20 patients received clozapine alone and 19 patients did not receive any drug). Plasma concentrations of ADMA, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and homocysteine were measured through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and traditional risk factors of metabolic syndrome were measured.<br> &nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Results:</strong> Mean age of participants was 46.08&plusmn;12.54 years. Moreover, the traditional (High-density lipoprotein (HDL), total cholesterol, waistline, and Body Mass Index (BMI)) and non-traditional factors (Homocysteine, hs-CRP) and ADMA were higher in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy group (p&le; 0.05). Also, in the clozapine group, all mentioned non-traditional factors and ADMA were significantly higher than other groups (p&le; 0.05).<br> <strong>&nbsp;&nbsp; Conclusion: </strong>In the clozapine group, levels of non-traditional factors and ADMA were significantly higher which indicates these patients are at risk of cardiovascular disease.<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <p></p> Asymmetric dimethylarginine, Atypical antipsychotics, Metabolic syndrome, Schizophrenia 682 686 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-3105-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Maryam Safaei iman.shahini@gmail.com 200319475328460062371 200319475328460062371 No Bojnord University of Medical Sciences, Bojnord & Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Faculty of Medicine & Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Ali Akhondpoor Manteghi najmeh_shahini@yahoo.com 200319475328460062372 200319475328460062372 No Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Ibn-e-Sina Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran Najmeh Shahini shahinin921@mums.ac.ir 200319475328460062373 200319475328460062373 No Golestan Research Center of Psychiatry (GRCP), Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran Amir Hooshang Mohammadpour najmeh.shahini@gmail.com 200319475328460062374 200319475328460062374 Yes Pharmaceutical Instiute of Technology, Pharmaceutical Research Center & Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran