Analysis of the influence of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1 and GSTT1) genes on the risk of essential hypertension

Background Essential hypertension (EH) results from a complex interaction between environmental factors and an individual’s genetic background. Aim To assess the relationship between polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 and the risk of EH. Subjects and methods A multiplex-PCR was used to identify the genotypic profiles of GSTM1 and GSTT1 in 160 patients and 210 controls. Results The frequency of GSTM1-null genotype was higher in patients younger than 61 years when compared to those over 61 years. Interestingly, GSTT1-null was significantly associated with the risk of EH (OR 4; 95% CI 2.6–6.3; p