Objective: To explore the association between G614T single nuclear polymorphism (SNP) of the alpha-adducin gene and the antihypertensive effect of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) in essential hypertensive (EH) patients.
Methods: Eight hundred twenty nine EH patients were given 12.5 mg HCTZ/d for six weeks. Alpha-adducin gene G614T SNP in the tenth exon was determined by PCR-RFLP in 754 patients with complete records. All the patients were grouped according to TT, GT and GG genotypes.
Results: After 6 weeks of HCTZ treatment, the decreases in DBP and MAP of patients carrying 614T allele of alpha-adducin were significantly greater than that of those carrying GG homozygotes (P < 0.05). The decreases in SBP and MAP were significantly greater in patients with the TT genotype as compared with GT or GG genotype (P < 0.05). The effective rate of BP fall by HCTZ was higher in patients with TT genotype than those with GT or GG genotype (P < 0.05). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that the TT genotype and the baseline SBP were the two major predictors affecting the decrease in SBP.
Conclusion: The present study suggests that the alpha-adducin G614T polymorphism is associated with the antihypertensive effect of HCTZ, which is more effective in patients with TT genotype.