Haplotypes of the β2-adrenergic receptor gene are associated with essential hypertension in a Singaporean Chinese population

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relation between the gene encoding the β2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) and essential hypertension in a Singaporean Chinese cohort. Methods: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 190 cases and 323 controls, and eight haplotypes were determined and tested for association using the likelihood test statistic. Results: We observed a significant difference in haplotype frequency distributions between the cases and the controls (P<0.00001). A logistic regression model fitted to the data supported this finding. Conclusion: The results suggest that variants at the B2AR locus may play a role in the pathophysiology of hypertension in this population. © 2004 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.