Abstract MP070: Genetic Predisposition to High Blood Pressure Associates With Cardiovascular Complications Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Two Independent Studies

Background Hypertension has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).We examined the effect of the genetic predisposition to high blood pressure and its potential interactions with diet and lifestyle factors on risk of cardiovascular complications among diabetic patients. Methods The present study included 1005 men and 1299 women with type 2 diabetes from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses’ Health Study: 732 (380 men and 352 women) CVD cases (coronary heart disease [CHD] or stroke) and 1572 non-CVD controls. Genetic predisposition to high blood pressure was estimated by a genetic risk score on basis of 29 blood pressure-predisposing variants identified by a recent GWAS meta-analysis in ∼200,000 Europeans. Results The genetic risk score was associated with prevalent hypertension in both men and women, with a combined OR of 1.07 (95% CI 1.04-1.09) for each additional risk allele. Restricted cubic spline regression analysis indicated a linear relationship between the genetic risk score and increased CVD risk in both men ( P =0.002) and women. ( P =0.028) ( Figure ). The results from the 2 cohorts were combined since the genetic risk score showed consistent associations in men and women. After adjustment for age, BMI, and diet and lifestyle risk factors, each additional risk allele in the genetic risk score was associated with a 5% increased risk of developing CVD (OR 1.05 [95% CI 1.02-1.09]). The OR was 1.49 (1.08-2.07) for CVD when comparing the extreme quartiles of the genetic risk score ( P for trend =0.007). We did not observe significant interactions of the genetic risk score with Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet score, and other lifestyle risk factors such as BMI, physical activity, alcohol intake, use of nonnarcotic analgesics and supplemental folic acid intake. Conclusions Genetic predisposition to high blood pressure is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients, independent of diet and lifestyle risk factors for hypertension.