Abstract: ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between β₂-adrenergic receptor (β₂-AR) gene Arg16Gly polymorphism and essential hypertension (EH) in elder (≥60 years old).Methods150 old healthy controls and 115 old patients with EH (all of them without kin relation) were selected to test genotype of β₂-AR by the technique of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-PFLP).ResultsThe frequencies of three genotypes (Arg/Arg, Arg/Gly and Gly/Gly) were 22.81%, 53.51% and 23.68% in the EH group and 27.33%, 67.33% and 5.33% in the controls respectively. The frequencies of Arg and Gly allele were 49.56 % and 50.44% in the EH group, and 61.00% and 39.00% in the controls. There was a significant difference in distribution of alleles/genotypes between EH group and controls ( P<0.05).Conclusionβ₂-AR Arg16Gly gene polymorphism is possibly associated with hypertension in this study population.

Key words: essential hypertension, β₂-adrenergic receptor, gene polymorphism