OBESITY AND VITAMIN D RECEPTOR (VDR, RS2228570) GENE POLYMORPHISM ASSOCIATION IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Objective: The study purpose was to analyze the association of vitamin D receptor (VDR, rs2228570) gene polymorphism with obesity in patients with essential arterial hypertension (EAH). Design and method: The study involved 100 patients suffering from EAH with target-organ damaging, moderate, high or very high cardiovascular risk. Among them, 79.0% (79) women and 21.0% (21) men, average age 59,86 ± 6,22 y o. The control group involved 60 practically healthy persons, matched by age and sex distribution. All enrolled/screened patients signed the Informed Consent to participate in the research. To examine polymorphism of VDR (rs2228570) gene a qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was made. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of > 30 kg/m2. Results: The genotypes distribution of the VDR (rs2228570) gene in patients vs control group did not differ reliably and was as follows: AA-, AG-, GG-genotypes – 23.0% vs 30.0%, 50.0% vs 46.67%, 27.0% vs 23.33% (p> 0.05) accordingly. Distribution of the genes polymorphic variants corresponded to the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (p > 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the distribution of BMI between patients with EAH and almost healthy GG-genotype carriers of the VDR gene. AG- and AA-genotype carriers in control group were relatively more likely to register persons with normal BMI (18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2) than among patients - by 14.0 % (x2 = 6.06; p = 0.014) and 15,67 % (p < 0.001). While among A-allele carriers with EAH were more patients with obesity - by 17.67 % (x2 = 9.51; p = 0.002) and 8.67 % (x2 = 3.53, p = 0.05), respectively. Conclusions: Regarding polymorphic variants of the VDR gene, in A-allele carriers with EAH (AA-, and especially AG-genotypes) the risk of obesity increases almost 4 and 8 times [OR = 3.95; p = 0.05 and OR = 7.71; p = 0.001] with the lowest probability of having a normal BMI. In this case, the GG-genotype of the VDR gene is not a risk factor for obesity in the population we examined.