Monozygotic twins exhibited more highly correlated 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate patterns than dizygotic twins, demonstrating heritability of these traits.
Observational (n=132)
The genetic influence of ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate was examined in 38 pairs of monozygotic twins, 17 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twins, and 11 pairs of opposite-sex dizygotic twins, all aged 15 or 17 years. The data were analyzed taking into consideration that the response was multivariate (24-h values) instead of the usual univariate response. The results demonstrated the heritability of ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate. This was true regardless of whether the estimate of heritability involved monozygotic twin pairs compared to same-sex dizygotic twin pairs only, or all dizygotic twin pairs. The time-related intraclass correlation coefficient within each twin classification indicated that the patterns of response within twin pairs correlated more for monozygotic twin pairs than within twin pairs for either set of dizygotic twin pairs. In addition, although the opposite-sex dizygotic twin pairs may have different mean levels of response, they exhibit a similarity of patterns of response akin to that seen within same-sex dizygotic twin pairs.
Somes et al. (Mon,) reported a observational. Genetic factors (Monozygotic zygosity) vs. Dizygotic twins was evaluated on Heritability of ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate patterns. Monozygotic twins exhibited more highly correlated 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate patterns than dizygotic twins, demonstrating heritability of these traits.