Abstract: Objective To investigate the association of the G894T polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS) gene with the antihypertensive effects of telmisartan in essential hypertensive patients. Methods Seventy-five patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension diagnosed according to criteria of hypertension of WHO/ISH were enrolled in and treated with telmisartan for 4 weeks. Polymerase chain reaction combined with restrictive enzyme digestion was used to detect the G894T polymorphisms of eNOS gene in patients. Results There are three genotype-GG, GT, TT(their genotype frequencies is respectively 44.0%, 41.3%, 14.7%), the frequency of G allele is 64.7% and T allele is 35.3%. Before treatment, There is no statistically significant in SBP or DBP or MAP between GG genotype patients and GT+TT genotype patients; After 4-weeks' treatment of telmisartan, the decrease of DBP with GT+TT genotype patients 〔(6.1±7.3)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)〕was higher than that of GG genotype〔(4.0±8.0)mmHg〕, but it is not statistically significant(P=0.624); however, the decrease of SBP with GG genotype patients 〔(9.6±19.0)mmHg〕was higher than that of GT+TT genotype〔(7.7±12.8)mmHg〕,but it is not statistically significant(P=0.623). Conclusion We can not found that the association of eNOS gene G894T polymorphisms with antihypertensive effects of telmisartan in this selected hypertensive patients.

Key words: essential hypertension, gene polymorphism, antihypertensive effects