Prevalence of angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism in Kuwaiti Arabs with asthma

We have investigated the prevalence of insertion! deletion (I/D) polymorphi sm of the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) gene in Kuwaiti asthmatic pat ients and nonasthmatic controls. The incidence of the (DD) genotype of the ACE gene in Kuwaiti asthmatic cases was 51% compared to 52% in non-asthmati c controls. This is in sharp contrast to data from French asthmatic patient s, in which a considerably higher incidence of (DD) genotype has been repor ted. 46% of the Kuwaiti non-asthmatic subjects were heterozygous (ID) for t he ACE gene I/D polymorphism, compared to 39% of the asthmatics. The incide nce of hay fever, eczema and a positive skin test was considerably higher i n Kuwaiti asthmatic subjects with the (DD) genotype compared to the heteroz ygous (ID) asthmatics. In the Kuwaiti Arab population, we did not find a cl ear association between the (DD) genotype of the ACE gene and asthma, possi bly due to a relatively high frequency of the (D) allele in the general pop ulation. However, the (DD) genotype of ACE gene appears to be associated wi th a high incidence of co-existing phenotypes (e.g. eczema) along with asth ma in our Kuwaiti Arab cohort. Med Sci Res 27:553-556 (C) 1999 Lippincott W illiams & Wilkins.