Platelet glycoprotein IIIa PIA1/A2 polymorphism and its relationship with diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients

Objective: The increased prevalence of cardiovascular events in type 2-diab etic patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria is not completely explained b y an excess of conventional risk factors for atherosclerosis. Generic polym orphism within the platelet glycoprotein IIIa has been implicated in the et iology of acute coronary syndromes. We tested the hypothesis that the PIA1/ A2 polymorphism could in part account for the increased cardiovascular risk of type 2-diabetic patients with micro- or macroalbuminuria compared to no rmoalbuminuric diabetic patients. Research design an We have examined the P IA1/A2 polymorphism of the platelet glycoprotein IIIa in type 2-diabetic pa tients; 94 with micro-, macroalbuminuria, and 94 with normoalbuminuria, mat ched for age, sex and body mass index. PIA genotypes were performed by poly merase chain reaction and restriction enzyme digestion. Results: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of PIA2-positive genotypes (eit her PIA1/A2 or PIA2/A2) in the two groups of patients (chi 2 = 0.19, df = 1 , p = 0.66). Conclusions: These results suggest that carriage of the platel et glycoprotein IIIa PIA2 allele does not contribute to explain the increas ed cardiovascular risk associated with micro- or macroalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes.