title: Galectin-2 (LGALS2) 3279C/T polymorphism may be independently associated with diastolic blood pressure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: The galectin-2 (LGALS2) 3279 C/T single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) has recently been associated with myocardial infarction (MI). Although hypertension, a very prevalent entity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), is one of the greatest risk factors for MI, the possible association of LGALS2 3279 C/T and hypertension has not been investigated. We genotyped 386 RA patients, 272 hypertensives and 114 normotensives. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was significantly lower in TT compared to CC homozygotes (-4.11 mmHg, p = 0.044) even when adjusted for multiple confounders (-4.28 mmHg, p = 033). Further studies are required to replicate the potential association of LGALS2 3279 C/T with DBP, and examine whether this SNP could be used as a marker of increased risk for future cardiovascular events in RA populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust, Russells Hall Hospital, West Midlands, UK. bpanoulas@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Vasileios F
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Panoulas
authors.forename: Karen M J
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Jacqueline P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Georgios S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Metsios
authors.forename: Moses S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elisaf
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nightingale
authors.forename: George D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kitas