Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33025652›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of clinical pharmacology2021

Using genetics to understand the role of antihypertensive drugs modulating angiotensin-converting enzyme in immune function and inflammation.

Jie V Zhao, C Mary Schooling, Gabriel M Leung

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in British journal of clinical pharmacology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Jie V ZhaoSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1564-0057
C Mary SchoolingSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Gabriel M LeungSchool of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
University of Hong Kong · HKCity University of New York · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimAngiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) is the binding domain for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARSCoV-2. Some antihypertensive drugs affect ACE2 expression or activity (ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers [ARBs]), suggesting use of other hypertensives might be preferable, such as calcium channel blockers (CCBs). Given the limited evidence, the International Society of Hypertension does not support such a policy.

methodsWe used a Mendelian randomization study to obtain unconfounded associations of antihypertensives, instrumented by published genetic variants in genes regulating target proteins of these drugs, with immune (lymphocyte and neutrophil percentage) and inflammatory (tumour necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) markers in the largest available genome-wide association studies.

resultsGenetically predicted effects of ACE inhibitors increased lymphocyte percentage (0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35, 1.22), decreased neutrophil percentage (-0.64, 95% CI -1.09, -0.20) and possibly lowered TNF-α (-4.92, 95% CI -8.50, -1.33). CCBs showed a similar pattern for immune function (lymphocyte percentage 0.21, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.36; neutrophil percentage -0.23, 95% CI -0.39 to -0.08) but had no effect on TNF-α, as did potassium-sparing diuretics and aldosterone antagonists, and vasodilator antihypertensives. ARBs and other classes of hypertensives had no effect on immune function or TNF-α.

conclusionVarying effects of different classes of antihypertensives on immune and inflammatory markers do not suggest antihypertensive use based on their role in ACE2 expression, but instead suggest investigation of the role of antihypertensives in immune function and inflammation might reveal important information that could optimize their use in SARSCoV-2.

Indexed as

Polymorphism, Single NucleotideAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAntihypertensive AgentsGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansHypertensionImmunityInflammationLymphocytesMendelian Randomization AnalysisNeutrophilsTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaACE2 protein, humanAngiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme InhibitorsAntihypertensive AgentsTNF protein, humanTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaACE inhibitorimmune functioninflammation

Identifiers

PMID33025652
PMCPMC7675404
OpenAlexW3092132299

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.