OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of 287 bp in the 16th intron of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and essential hypertension in children.

METHODSI/D polymorphism of 287 bp in the 16th intron of ACE was detected using PCR in 105 children with essential hypertension and 105 normal children as control group.

RESULTSThere was an I/D polymorphism in the 16th intron of ACE in the hypertension and the control groups: type II, type ID and type DD. The genotype frequencies of type DD, type ID and type II in the hypertension group were 30.5%, 47.6% and 21.9%, respectively. The genotype frequencies of type DD, type ID and type II in the control group were 14.3%, 46.7% and 39.1%, respectively. There were significant differences in the genotype frequencies of types DD and II between the two groups (P<0.01). The allele frequency of type D (54.3% vs 37.6%) was significantly higher in the hypertension group; in contrast, the allele frequency of type I (45.7% vs 62.4%) was significantly lower than in the control group (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSPolymorphism of type II, type ID and type DD exits in ACE. The deletion of 287 bp in the 16th intron of ACE might be associated with the occurrence of essential hypertension in children.