[Polymorphism of the ACE gene and left ventricular morphology and function in patients with borderline, mild and...

It has been reported that the allel D of an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with the conditions of increased cardiovascular risk, including the left ventricular hypertrophy and the dysfunction. We examined the relation between the genotype of ACE gene and the left ventricular function in normotensives and in borderline, mild and moderate hypertensives. We investigated 128 subjects, 47 first-diagnosed untreated hypertensives and 81 normotensives. The M-mode and Doppler echocardiography were used to quantify LV mass and function. The insertion/deletion ACE polymorphism was identified using polymerase chain reaction. Left ventricular indexes of the morphology and function were analyzed. We compared ambulatory blood pressure profiles between all genotypes in both groups. There were no significant differences in indexes of the left ventricular hypertrophy in studied normotensives and borderline to mild hypertensives. Our results indicate that allel I might be associated with selected parameters of diastolic function, while allel D with selected parameters of systolic function, of the left ventricle. Results of this study suggest also probable relation between allel D and variability of the diastolic arterial pressure in both investigated groups.