Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion or deletion dimorphism in predisposition to cardiovascular diseases amongst United Arab Emirates nationals

Objectives: The absence of a 287 base pairs Alu sequence in the angiotensin -converting enzyme gene (D allele) is associated with higher angiotensin co nverting enzyme levels than its presence (I allele). There is, however, a h uge body of conflicting reports that have linked angiotensin-converting enz yme insertion/deletion to hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy, as well as several other clinica l entities. We carried out a retrospective, case-control study of the angio tensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion dimorphism in relation to circu lating angiotensin-converting enzyme activity, as well as to hypertention, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infaction and left ventricular hypertrop hy, amongst United Arab Emirates nationals subjects (Emirati). Methods: We investigated a sample population of 285 Emirati comprising grou ps of controls and of patients with clinical diagnoses of hypertension, isc haemic heart disease, myocardial infaction and left ventricular hypertrophy . Angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion genotypes were determine d by assays based on polymerase chain reaction. Results: The D allele was associated with increased circulating angiotensin -converting enzyme activity, and the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertio n/deletion marker accounted for 28% of the variance of the phenomenon deter mining angiotensin-converting enzyme levels. We found, however, no associat ion between angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion and clinical d iagnoses of hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, myocardial infarction an d left ventricular hypertrophy. Conclusion: Although the D allele of the angiotensin converting enzyme inse rtion/deletion dimorphism tracks with circulating angiotensin-converting en zyme activities in United Arab Emirates nationals, it does not constitute a predictive marker for CVDs in this population.