NO EFFECT OF GENETIC-VARIATION AT THE ANGIOTENSINOGEN LOCUS ON AMBULATORY BLOOD-PRESSURE LEVEL IN NORMOTENSIVE SUBJECTS

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential association between ambulatory blood pressure and the molecular variants T174M and M235T of the angiotensinogen gene in a random sample of young normotensive m en (n = 145). The two point mutations were detected using restriction digests of a mispairing polymerase chain reaction product. Twenty-four -hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed with a SpaceL abs 90207 device. Ambulatory blood pressure levels did not vary accord ing to T174M and M235T genotypes. When the subjects were grouped accor ding to their blood pressure level (as indicated by tertiles of their 24-h ambulatory blood pressure), no significant differences in allele frequencies between the three groups were found. Our results indicate that the T174M and M235T molecular variants of the angiotensinogen gen e have no major influence on ambulatory blood pressure in young normot ensive subjects. (C) 1997 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.