Abstract

The pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy is not clearly understood. Beside haemodynamic alterations, genetic factors may also contribute to diabetic nephropathy leading to renal failure. Previous studies suggest that renin-angiotensin system may play critical role in progression and inhibition of diabetic nephropathy. Angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism is correlated to serum angiotensin converting enzyme activity that may be associated with diabetic nephropathy. We investigated the association of diabetic nephropathy with angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, in a case control study among 195 unrelated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 65 age and sex matched non diabetic controls. Our study revealed that the distribution of DD, ID and II genotypes did not significantly differ between diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy and without diabetic nephropathy (DD, 18.1%; ID, 44.6 %; II, 37.3%; vs. DD, 29.7%; ID, 38.6%; II, 30.7% respectively). We also compared different clinical and biochemical characteristics of the study population. In the present preliminary study the insertion/deletion polymorphism within angiotensin converting enzyme gene is not likely to be associated with nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients of Punjabi population of Pakistan.

Key words: Angiotensin converting enzymes, insertion/deletion polymorphism, albuminuria and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abbreviation

ACE; Angiotensin converting enzyme, ARB;  angiotensin receptor blockers, BMI; body mass index, CI; confidence interval, ESRD; end-stage renal disease, EDTA; ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid, I/D; Insertion /deletion, OR; odds ratio, PCR; polymerase chain reaction, RAS; ranin angiotensin system, W:H; waist to hip ratio.