Blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus: relation to apolipoprotein-CIII gene polymorphism.

The apolipoprotein CIII allele S2 is associated with hypertriglyceridaemia and myocardial infarction. 15 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the S2 allele had significantly greater systolic blood pressure than 48 without this allele (mean 142 [SD10]) vs 129 [14] mmHg), despite being on antihypertensives more frequently. S2 patients showed better glycaemic control (glycated haemoglobin [HbA1C] 8.4 [2.0] vs 9.9 [2.0]%). Stepwise multiple regression indicated S2 as an independent predictor of both blood pressure and HbA1C. These findings suggest mechanisms for relations between glucose and triglyceride metabolism and blood pressure.