Age- and gender-dependent association of the -344C/T polymorphism of CYP11B2 with blood pressure in European populations.

The -344C/T polymorphism in the 50 promoter region of CYP11B2 has been associated with arterial hypertension and hypertension-related phenotypes with conflicting results, probably attributable to gender-, age-, and ethnicity-related variations in its phenotypic expression. We evaluated the association of -344C/T polymorphism with blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension in a large sample of men and women participating to the IMMIDIET project, a population-based cross-sectional study in three European countries (Italy, UK, Belgium). In this population sample, the C allele of -344C/T was associated with higher blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension in younger men but not in older men and in women, thus, suggesting that this allele may confer increased susceptibility to hypertension early in life.