Abstract
BACKGROUND: Resistant hypertension (RH) presents significant clinical challenges, often precipitating a spectrum of cardiovascular complications. Particular attention recently has focused on the role of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) gene polymorphisms, implicated in hypertensive target organ damage (TOD). Despite growing interest, the specific contribution of MMP-2 polymorphisms to such damage in RH remains inadequately defined. OBJECTIVE: This study is the first to examine the rs243865 (-1306C>T) polymorphism in the MMP-2 gene in the Vietnamese population and patients with RH, underscoring its critical role as a genetic determinant of TOD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with both descriptive and analytical components was conducted with 78 patients with RH at the Can Tho Central General Hospital and Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital from July 2023 to February 2024. RESULTS: More than three-quarters of patients with RH had carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) >10 m/s and microalbuminuria at a prevalence of 79% (62/78) and 76% (59/78), respectively, and more than half of patients with RH had left ventricular mass index, relative wall thickness, and carotid artery stenosis with a prevalence of 56% (45/78), 55% (43/78), and 53% (41/78), respectively. Of the 78 studied patients with RH, the presence of genotype CC was 77% (60/78), genotype CT accounted for 21% (16/78), and genotype TT for 3% (2/78). The presence of single nucleotide polymorphism rs243865 (-1306C>T) with allele T was 23% (18/78). The MMP-2 gene polymorphism 1306C/T (rs243865) was significantly associated with ejection fraction and carotid artery stenosis with odds ratios (ORs) 8.1 (95% CI 1.3-51.4; P=.03) and 4.5 (95% CI 1.1-20.1; P=.048), respectively. The allele T was found to be significantly associated with arterial stiffness including brachial-ankle PWV and carotid-femoral PWV with the correlation coefficient of OR 2.2 (95% CI 0.6-3.8) and OR 1.8 (95% CI 0.5-3.2), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The MMP-2 gene polymorphism rs243865 (-1306C>T) may have an association with measurable TOD in RH.