Pharmacogenetics of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have a high mortality rate, and despite the several available therapeutic targets, non-response to antihypertensives remains a common problem. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are important classes of drugs recommended as first-line therapy for several CVDs. However, response to ACEIs and ARBs varies among treated patients.

Early and late-onset preeclampsia: effects of DDAH2 polymorphisms on ADMA levels and association with DDAH2 haplotypes.

Objective: To examine whether the promoter polymorphisms -1415G/A (rs2272592), -1151A/C (rs805304) and -449G/C (rs805305), and their haplotypes, are associated with PE compared with normotensive pregnant women, and whether they affect ADMA levels in these groups.

Methods: A total of 208 pregnant women were included in the study and classified as early-onset (N=57) or late-onset PE (N =49), and as normotensive pregnant women (N = 102).

Results: Pregnant with early-onset PE carrying the GC and GG genotypes for the -449G/C polymorphism had increased ADMA levels (P=0.

The interplay between extracellular NAMPT and inflammatory cytokines in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is the major cause of maternal-fetal mortality and morbidity. Its pathophysiology is not elucidated, but there is evidence for the role of visfatin/nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT), mainly due to its relation to endothelial dysfunction, a hallmark of PE. However, there is heterogeneous data regarding visfatin/NAMPT in healthy pregnancy (HP) and PE.