Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism and microvascular complications in Turkish type 2 diabetic patients

The aim of this study was to investigate whether an association exists betw een the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymo rphism and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Turki sh patients. A total of 239 type 2 diabetic patients and 138 sex and age ma tched control subjects were included into the study. The I/D polymorphism w as determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nephropathy status was de termined according to urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (mug/mg) (< 30 normo albuminuria, 30-300 microalbuminuria, > 300 macroalbuminuria) and retinopat hy was evaluated by fundoscopic examination and by flourescein fundus angio graphy. The distribution of ACE I/D polymorphism and allele frequencies in diabetic patients were not significantly different from controls, DD genoty pe 32.2 versus 37.2%; ID genotype 50.6 versus 47.1%; and II 17.2 versus 15. 2%; D allele 57.5 versus 61.2%; I allele 42.5 versus 38.8%. Genotype distri bution between normo-, micro- and macroalbuminuric patients did not differ significantly (DD:ID:II (%), normoalbuminuria, 35:46:19; microalbuminuria, 28:55:17; macroalbuminuria, 31:55:14). There was also no difference in geno type distribution between patients with and without retinopathy (DD:ID:II ( %), retinopathy positive, 32:51:17; retinopathy negative, 33:49:18). In con clusion, the ACE I/D polymorphism does not seem to be associated with diabe tic nephropathy and retinopathy in Turkish type 2 diabetic patients. (C) 20 01 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.