title: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase Glu298Asp gene polymorphism, blood pressure and hypertension in a general population sample.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Glu298Asp (E/D) polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene has been related to hypertension. Since several studies have produced contradictory results, this issue is still subject to ongoing debate. We investigated the association of the eNOS E298D polymorphism with hypertension and with blood pressure (BP) in a large population-based sample of Caucasian ethnicity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in a random sample of the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The eNOS E298D polymorphism was determined by 5'-exonuclease assay among 4219 participants aged 20-79 years of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentages of the EE298, ED298 and DD298 genotypes were 49.2, 42.0 and 8.8%, respectively. The D allele frequencies did not differ between the groups of normotensive and hypertensive subjects (29.7 versus 29.9%, P = 0.812). Similarly, no association could be established between E298D genotype and prevalent hypertension, neither for D allele carriership (multivariate odds ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.83-1.12) nor for DD homozygosity (multivariate odds ratio 1.10, 95% confidence interval 0.84-1.43). Likewise, genotype groups did not differ as to the distribution of systolic (ANCOVA P = 0.917) or diastolic BP values (ANCOVA P = 0.657). Nearly identical results were obtained if the analyses were repeated sex-specifically or if subjects on antihypertensive medication were excluded.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a population-based cohort of Caucasians covering a broad age range, the eNOS E298D polymorphism is neither associated with prevalent hypertension nor with systolic or diastolic BP. These results do not support the hypothesis that the E298D polymorphism contributes to the genetic susceptibility to hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine B, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Birger
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wolff
authors.forename: Hans-J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Grabe
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schlüter
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Popowski
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völzke
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lüdemann
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Stephan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Felix
authors.forename: Ingolf
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cascorbi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000235:genetics*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III