Blood selenium status in normal Punjabi population of Pakistan.

Selenium concentrations in the blood of 112 (56 females and 56 males) normal subjects, from different regions of the Punjab (Pakistan), have been determined using the technique of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The whole blood selenium concentrations were found to be 452 ± 12 ppb (parts per billion or nano-gram of Se per gram freeze-dried blood or 96 ± 3 μg/L ), with 470 ± 16 ppb (or 100 ± 4 μg/L) in female and 435 ± 16 ppb (or 92 ± 4 μg/L) in male population. Compared with other populations of the world [corrected] these levels are similar with the exception of the low-selenium-region of China.

ACE I/D and G2350A polymorphisms in Pakistani hypertensive population of Punjab.

Several studies in different populations have shown mixed association of hypertension with ACE I/D and G2350A polymorphisms. To assess the link of these two polymorphisms with hypertension in population of Punjab--most populated province of Pakistan--we carried out this retrospective case control study in a mixed sample of 344 hypertensive and normotensive controls. Genotype of the ACE I/D was determined by nested PCR and G2350A.

Angiotensinogen gene variants in a Pakistani hypertensive population of Punjab.

Background: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a key role in blood pressure (BP) regulation. Among the components of the RAAS, the gene for the angiotensinogen (AGT) has been extensively studied. Several studies in different populations link Threonine instead of methionine at position 235 (M235T) and Methinine instead of threonine at position 174 (T174M) polymorphisms with essential hypertension.