Transforming growth factor beta1 genotype and change in left ventricular mass during antihypertensive treatment--results from the Swedish Irbesartan Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Investigation versus Atenolol (SILVHIA).

Background: Angiotensin II, via the angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor, may mediate myocardial fibrosis and myocyte hypertrophy seen in hypertensive left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy through production of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1); AT1-receptor antagonists reverse these changes. The TGF-beta1 G + 915C polymorphism is associated with interindividual variation in TGF-beta1 production. No study has yet determined the impact of this polymorphism on the response to antihypertensive treatment.
Hypothesis: We aimed to determine whether the TGF-beta1 G + 915C polymorphism was related to change in LV mass during antihypertensive treatment with either an AT1-receptor antagonists or a beta1-adrenoceptor blocker. The polymorphism was hypothesized to have an impact mainly on the irbesartan group.
Methods: We determined the association between the TGF-beta1 genotype and regression of LV mass in 90 patients with essential hypertension and echocardiographically diagnosed LV hypertrophy, randomized in a double-blind study to receive treatment for 48 weeks with either the AT1-receptor antagonist irbesartan or the beta1-adrenoceptor blocker atenolol.
Results: Irbesartan-treated patients who were carriers of the C-allele, which is associated with low expression of TGF-beta1, responded with a markedly greater decrease in LV mass index (LVMI) than subjects with the G/G genotype (adjusted mean change in LVMI -44.7 g/m2 vs. -22.2 g/m2, p = 0.007), independent of blood pressure reduction. No association between genotype and change in LVMI was observed in the atenolol group.
Conclusions: The TGF-beta1 G + 915C polymorphism is related to the change in LVMI in response to antihypertensive treatment with the AT1-receptor antagonist irbesartan.