T+31C polymorphism of angiotensinogen gene and nocturnal blood pressure decline:: The Ohasama Study

Background: We assessed the association between several polymorphisms of angiotensinogen gene (AGT) and essential hypertension using ambulatory blood pressure (BP), Methods: We recruited 802 subjects in a rural Japanese community who were aged >40 years and who gave written informed consent for monitoring of their ambulatory BP and genetic analysis (the Ohasama Study). As a polymorphism of AGT, Tdivided by31C, which is in complete linkage disequilibrium with M235T, was determined using the TaqMan polymerase chain reaction method. Results: The genotype distribution of AGT/Tdivided by31C in the Ohasama Study was similar to that in another large Japanese population, Although there was no significant difference in 24-h and daytime ambulatory BP values,, the nighttime BP was significantly lower in the subjects with 77, resulting in greater decline of nocturnal systolic (P = .090) and diastolic (P = .025) BP in subjects with TT, Conclusions: AGT/Tdivided by31C is associated with the circadian BP variation but not with BP level in the Japanese general population. (C) 2002 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.