INTRODUCTION: Thyroid function and genetic variation in the 
hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis have been implicated in blood pressure 
regulation and susceptibility to hypertension. However studies conducted thus 
far were small with controversial results.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether serum thyroid parameters and polymorphisms in the 
type 2 deiodinase and the TSH receptor are associated with blood pressure and 
the presence of hypertension in two large cohorts of elderly subjects.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: We studied a random sample of 1444 subjects of the 
Rotterdam study, and 997 subjects of the Rotterdam Scan study, two 
population-based cohort studies among elderly individuals aged 55-90 years. 
Outcome measurements Data on blood pressure and hypertension were obtained, and 
serum thyroid parameters, D2-Thr92Ala, D2-ORFa-Gly3Asp and TSHR-Asp727Glu 
polymorphisms were determined.
RESULTS: In contrast to previous findings, no consistent and/or significant 
associations were found between serum TSH and FT4 and blood pressure in both 
cohorts. In addition, the D2-Thr92Ala, D2-ORFa-Gly3Asp and TSHR-Asp727Glu 
polymorphisms were not associated with blood pressure or the risk of 
hypertension.
CONCLUSIONS: In two large populations of elderly subjects, neither serum thyroid 
parameters nor polymorphisms in the type 2 deiodinase and the TSH receptor, were 
associated with blood pressure or the presence of hypertension. Our data suggest 
that thyroid function is not an important determinant of hypertension in elderly 
Dutch subjects.