Relationship of angiotensinogen polymorphism with office and ambulatory blood pressure.

The M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene is associated with hypertension. Using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (24hr-ABP) monitoring, we studied the relationship between the M235T polymorphism and hypertension in non-black subjects referred for evaluation of office BP > mm Hg. Subjects (M=29, F=16) were studied off treatment with 2-D guided M-mode echocardiography and 24hr-ABP monitoring. The M235T genotypes were identified after BSTUI digestion of leukocyte DNA amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. Frequency of the M and T alleles were 0.42 and 0.58 respectively. Age, BMI, gender distribution and LV mass (Penn) were similar between genotype groups. Based on office BP, the TT genotype could not be differentiated from the MM genotype. However, with 24hr-ABP, the TT genotype was clearly associated with higher BP compared to both MM and MT genotypes. This difference remained significant after adjustment for age, gender and BMI. In our non-black referral population, detection of the association between AGT gene polymorphism and hypertension is facilitated by the use of 24-hr ABP monitoring.