A common polymorphism rs1800247 in osteocalcin gene is associated with hypertension and diastolic blood pressure levels: the Shanghai Changfeng study

Osteocalcin may have a role in hypertension due to its close relationship with energy metabolism and insulin sensitivity. the aim of this study was to evaluate the association of a common polymorphism rs1800247 in osteocalcin gene with hypertension and related traits. this was a population-based cross-sectional study including 5647 individuals. baseline information was collected. body mass index (bmi), waist circumference, blood pressure, glucose and lipids were determined. homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (homa-ir) was used to estimate insulin sensitivity. genotyping was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. the carriers of c allele of rs1800247 were associated with a decreased odds of hypertension compared with the carriers of t allele adjusted for age, sex and bmi (odds ratio (or)=0.89, 95% confidence interval (ci) 0.81–0.97, p=0.01). the carriers of c allele were also associated with a lower diastolic blood pressure (dbp) level adjusted for age, sex and bmi in normotensive individuals (β=−0.55, 95% ci −0.99 to −0.10, p=0.02), but its association with systolic blood pressure levels was not significant. the interaction between rs1800247 and homa-ir on hypertension was significant (p<0.001). in the stratified analysis by the median of homa-ir (1.93), rs1800247 was significantly associated with hypertension in the subgroup with homa-ir⩽1.93 (or=0.82, 95% ci 0.71–0.94, p=0.005), but this association was not significant in the subgroup with homa-ir >1.93. we demonstrated that a common polymorphism rs1800247 in osteocalcin gene was associated with hypertension and dbp levels. the association of rs1800247 with hypertension was affected by its interaction with homa-ir.