Objective: Hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) are important causes of morbidity and mortality in the population. Angiotensinogen (AGT) M235T polymorphism has been associated with LVH, left ventricular dimensions, coronary artery disease and antihypertensive drug response in previous studies. We examined relationship between AGT M235T polymorphism and echocardiographic left ventricular indices in a Turkish population of treated hypertensive patients with normal coronary arteries.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study a Turkish population of 92 hypertensive patients treated in our outpatient clinic were enrolled. All patients had normal coronary angiographic examinations. Genotypes for AGT M235T were determined from peripheral leukocytes. Left ventricular dimensions, mass and function indices, after adjustment for clinical covariates were analyzed by multiple regression analysis according to genotypes.
Results: Genotype frequencies for AGT M235T were MM-24.7%, MT-52.8% and TT-22.5%. Left ventricular end-systolic (LVES) dimensions for AGT M235T MM, MT, TT genotypes were 17.9+/-4.2 mm, 19.4+/-6.2 mm, and 16.4+/-2.9 mm, respectively (p=0.08). Angiotensinogen M235T TT genotype showed a trend towards a lower LVES dimension but results were not statistically significant. Left ventricular ejection fractions for AGT M235T MM, MT, TT subgroups were 61.3+/-15.0%, 59.4+/-14.0%, and 67.8+/-8.5%, respectively (p=0.07). Angiotensinogen M235T TT genotype showed a tendency towards lower left ventricular mass index but results were not statistically significant. None of the AGT M235T genotypes predicted left ventricular dilatation, mass or function in treated hypertensive patients with normal coronary arteries.
Conclusion: Angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism was not useful to predict left ventricular mass, function, hypertrophy or dilatation in a small population of treated Turkish hypertensive patients with normal coronary arteries.