Impact of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system genes on the treatment response of patients with hypertension and metabolic syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of clinical, biochemical and genetic markers on the response to antihypertensive treatment in patients with essential hypertension and the metabolic syndrome (MetS).


METHODS
Measurements of anthropometric indices, blood pressure (BP), and metabolic parameters were obtained from the medical records of 132 (77 women) newly diagnosed, untreated hypertensive patients. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) genes polymorphisms (including ACE I/D, angiotensinogen M235T, angiotensin II type 1 receptor [AT1-receptor] A1166C) were determined. Response to treatment was defined as BP less than 140/90 mmHg.


RESULTS
Patients with MetS (n=60) had higher systolic BP and pulse pressure and a more atherogenic lipid profile than patients without MetS. The frequencies of the ACE and the AT1-receptor gene polymorphisms were similar between patients with and without MetS. Response to treatment was positively associated with pulse pressure, and the presence of the C allele as well as the AC genotype of the AT1-receptor gene and inversely with age after adjustment for confounding factors.


CONCLUSIONS
RAAS genes distribution does not differ between hypertensive patients with and without the MetS. Higher baseline pulse pressure levels, the presence of the C allele and/or the AC genotype may be in favour of a better response to structured antihypertensive treatment in patients with MetS. However, these findings need to be evaluated in future studies.
Milionis
Haralampos J
HJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Outpatient Hypertension Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. hmilioni@cc.uoi.gr
Kostapanos
Michael S
MS
Vakalis
Konstantinos
K
Theodorou
Ioanna
I
Bouba
Ioanna
I
Kalaitzidis
Rigas
R
Georgiou
Ioannis
I
Elisaf
Moses S
MS
Siamopoulos
Kostas C
KC
D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000235:genetics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome