Sex differences in environmental and genetic factors for hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Sex differences are observed in many aspects of mammalian cardiovascular function and pathology. Hypertension is more common in men than in women of the same age. Although the effects of gonadal hormones on blood pressure are considered contributing factors, the reasons for sex differences in hypertension are still not fully understood. The present study was undertaken to compare the differences in several environmental and genetic factors between men and women in the Hei Yi Zhuang, an isolated subgroup of the Zhuang minority in China.


METHODS
Information on demography, diet, and lifestyle was collected in 835 women and 834 men aged 15 to 84 years. Genotyping of angiotensin-converting enzyme, adrenergic receptor beta(3), aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, calpastatin, connexin 37, hepatic lipase, lipoprotein lipase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor, and von Willebrand factor also was performed in these subjects.


RESULTS
The levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of hypertension were lower in women than in men (P < .05). Hypertension was positively associated with age, physical activity, alcohol consumption, body mass index, waist circumference, hyperlipidemia, total energy, total fat, sodium intake, and sodium/potassium ratio, and negatively associated with education level, total dietary fiber, potassium intake, angiotensin-converting enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2, and hepatic lipase genotypes in men (P < .05). Hypertension was positively associated with age, hyperlipidemia, total energy, total fat, sodium intake, sodium/potassium ratio, calpastatin, and von Willebrand factor genotypes, and negatively associated with education level, total dietary fiber, potassium, calcium intake, lipoprotein lipase, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor genotypes in women (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Sex differences in the prevalence of hypertension in the Hei Yi Zhuang population may be mainly attributed to the differences in dietary habits, lifestyle choices, sodium and potassium intakes, physical activity level, and some genetic polymorphisms.
Ruixing
Yin
Y
Department of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China. yinruixing@yahoo.com.cn
Jinzhen
Wu
W
Shangling
Pan
P
Weixiong
Lin
L
Dezhai
Yang
Y
Yuming
Chen
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017630:Connexins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008019:Life Style; D008049:Lipase / Q000235:genetics; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000235:genetics; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3 / Q000235:genetics; D018025:Receptors, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000235:genetics; D000097006:Gap Junction alpha-4 Protein
D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; D000071396:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase, Mitochondrial; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D017630:Connexins; D008049:Lipase; D008071:Lipoprotein Lipase; D047495:PPAR gamma; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D022702:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-3; D018025:Receptors, Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D000097006:Gap Junction alpha-4 Protein; C033668:calpastatin; C096127:ALDH2 protein, human