In addition , qPCR and methylation-specic PCR assay revealed that LTL shortening and mRNA expression and the methylation ratio of human telomerase reverse transcriptase ( hTERT ) were lower in patients with EH than in controls , and gradually decreased with increasing Hcy level , but not with blood pressure , in EH patients ( Ptrend < 0.0001 , 0.004 and 0.012 , respectively ) .