This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Snieder, H. Articles by Spector, T. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Snieder, H. Articles by Spector, T. D. Related Collections Other hypertension Hypertension - basic studies Hypertrophy Genetics of cardiovascular disease

(Hypertension. 2000;35:574.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.

Scientific Contributions

Heritability of Central Systolic Pressure Augmentation

A Twin Study

Harold Snieder; Christopher S. Hayward; Ursula Perks; Raymond P. Kelly; Paul J. Kelly; Tim D. Spector

From the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK (H.S., U.P., T.D.S.); Department of Cardiology, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Australia (C.S.H., R.P.K.); and Gemini Holdings plc, Cambridge, UK (P.J.K.).

Abstract—Less than 50% of the variance in left ventricular mass is explained by conventional factors such as age, blood pressure, and body size. Genetic influences may account for part of the unexplained variance. The central (aortic) pressure augmentation index has been suggested as a noninvasive measure of pulsatile load, which is a likely determinant of left ventricular mass. We quantified the genetic influence on augmentation index and determined the extent to which this influence is dependent on the effects of age, height, heart rate, and blood pressure. We performed a classical twin study composed of 225 monozygotic and 594 dizygotic female white twin pairs aged 18 to 73 years. Augmentation index and mean arterial pressure were based on the central pressure wave derived from the radial waveform as measured by applanation tonometry. Quantitative genetic modeling techniques were used to analyze the data. The heritability of augmentation index was 37%, whereas heritabilities for blood pressure traits varied between 13% and 25%. Most of the variance in augmentation index could be explained by genetic and environmental factors specifically influencing augmentation index. Only a relatively small part of the total variance in augmentation index could be attributed to genes in common with height (3.1%), heart rate (4.6%), and mean arterial pressure (5.6%). Age explained 19% of the total variation in augmentation index. In conclusion, augmentation index has a significant heritable component, which is largely independent of the influence of blood pressure, heart rate, height, and age. Finding genes for the augmentation index could help to unravel pathophysiological mechanisms causing left ventricular hypertrophy and lead to improvements in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of at-risk populations.

Key Words: genetics • twins • augmentation index • blood pressure • aging • hypertrophy

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Cecelja, B. Jiang, K. McNeill, B. Kato, J. Ritter, T. Spector, and P. Chowienczyk Increased wave reflection rather than central arterial stiffness is the main determinant of raised pulse pressure in women and relates to mismatch in arterial dimensions: a twin study. J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 18, 2009; 54(8): 695 - 703. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. O'Rourke and C. S. Hayward The pulse of cardiology: quo vadis? J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 18, 2009; 54(8): 714 - 717. [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. McCaffery, G. D. Papandonatos, M. J. Lyons, and R. Niaura Educational Attainment and the Heritability of Self-Reported Hypertension Among Male Vietnam-Era Twins Psychosom Med, September 1, 2008; 70(7): 781 - 786. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Munir, A. Guilcher, T. Kamalesh, B. Clapp, S. Redwood, M. Marber, and P. Chowienczyk Peripheral Augmentation Index Defines the Relationship Between Central and Peripheral Pulse Pressure Hypertension, January 1, 2008; 51(1): 112 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. Kupper, J. Denollet, E. J. C. de Geus, D. I. Boomsma, and G. Willemsen Heritability of Type-D Personality Psychosom Med, September 1, 2007; 69(7): 675 - 681. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. D. O'Leary, R. L. Hughson, J. K. Shoemaker, D. K. Greaves, D. E. Watenpaugh, B. R. Macias, and A. R. Hargens Heterogeneity of responses to orthostatic stress in homozygous twins J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2007; 102(1): 249 - 254. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. F. Mitchell, A. L. DeStefano, M. G. Larson, E. J. Benjamin, M.-H. Chen, R. S. Vasan, J. A. Vita, and D. Levy Heritability and a Genome-Wide Linkage Scan for Arterial Stiffness, Wave Reflection, and Mean Arterial Pressure: The Framingham Heart Study Circulation, July 12, 2005; 112(2): 194 - 199. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. McEniery, Yasmin, S. Wallace, K. Maki-Petaja, B. McDonnell, J. E. Sharman, C. Retallick, S. S. Franklin, M. J. Brown, R. C. Lloyd, et al. Increased Stroke Volume and Aortic Stiffness Contribute to Isolated Systolic Hypertension in Young Adults Hypertension, July 1, 2005; 46(1): 221 - 226. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Laurent, P. Boutouyrie, and P. Lacolley Structural and Genetic Bases of Arterial Stiffness Hypertension, June 1, 2005; 45(6): 1050 - 1055. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hernelahti, E. Levalahti, R. L. Simonen, J. Kaprio, U. M. Kujala, A. L. T. Uusitalo-Koskinen, M. C. Battie, and T. Videman Relative roles of heredity and physical activity in adolescence and adulthood on blood pressure J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2004; 97(3): 1046 - 1052. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Greenfield, K. Samaras, L. V. Campbell, A. B. Jenkins, P. J. Kelly, T. D. Spector, and C. S. Hayward Physical activity reduces genetic susceptibility to increased central systolic pressure augmentation: a study of female twins J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., July 16, 2003; 42(2): 264 - 270. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. J. Oliver and D. J. Webb Noninvasive Assessment of Arterial Stiffness and Risk of Atherosclerotic Events Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, April 1, 2003; 23(4): 554 - 566. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. E. North, J. W. MacCluer, R. B. Devereux, B. V. Howard, T. K. Welty, L. G. Best, E. T. Lee, R. R. Fabsitz, and M. J. Roman Heritability of Carotid Artery Structure and Function: The Strong Heart Family Study Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol, October 1, 2002; 22(10): 1698 - 1703. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Gardin, D. Brunner, P. J. Schreiner, X. Xie, C. L. Reid, K. Ruth, D. E. Bild, and S. S. Gidding Demographics and correlates of five-year change in echocardiographic left ventricular mass in young black and white adult men and women: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 7, 2002; 40(3): 529 - 535. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. de Simone, F. Pasanisi, and F. Contaldo Link of Nonhemodynamic Factors to Hemodynamic Determinants of Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Hypertension, July 1, 2001; 38(1): 13 - 18. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. Drayna, A. Manichaikul, M. d. Lange, H. Snieder, and T. Spector Genetic Correlates of Musical Pitch Recognition in Humans Science, March 9, 2001; 291(5510): 1969 - 1972. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				F. C. Luft Twins in Cardiovascular Genetic Research Hypertension, February 1, 2001; 37(2): 350 - 356. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]